Love, Marriage and Moving Vans
by LorelaiSquared
Summary: Sequel to Secret Desires and Nameless Fears. Changes are in store for Stars Hollow's favourite family: Luke and Lorelai finally tie the knot, Rory starts her new job, and someone in town is facing a big move.
1. Cookie Dough

**Love, Marriage and Moving Vans**

**Summary: **Sequel to _**Secret Desires and Nameless Fears**_. Lots of changes are in store for Stars Hollow's favourite family: Luke and Lorelai finally tie the knot, Rory starts her new job, and someone in town is facing a big move. Second story in the _Good Things Come in Threes _series

_**A/N: **__The long awaited sequel to __**Secret Desires and Nameless Fears**__ is finally here! I'm sorry for keeping you waiting so long – I hate it when real life gets in the way! I'm hoping to resume posting an update every Sunday, so keep you eyes open. _

_There's another author's auction coming up __**April 3-6**__ (more info at supportstacie[dot]net). I'll be auctioning myself off again (for a 5000-10000 word story!). Maybe you have an idea you've been dying to see my take on. Or perhaps you`ve been wanting to learn more about LL`s family in __**Then and Now**__. Or maybe you`d like to see Luke and Lorelai get together sooner in a sequel to __**Stolen Hearts**__. Well if so, start saving your pennies, come out and bid, and you might just get your chance to pull my strings. You can find out more about my offer here. There are some other fabulous authors up for auction as well (over 160 of them!!!!!!). It's for a great cause and it's a lot of fun. _

_I'll also be participating in the Chat-a-thon that's happening that weekend as well, so if you have any burning questions for me, be sure to log in to __http://www[dot]majiksfanfic[dot]com/phpbb/__on Saturday April 4__th__ at 4:30pm EST (1:30 PST). _

_A huge thank you to __**Jewels12**__ for being her awesome self as always. Also, a quick shout out to __**IloveLukey**__ for her help with some details and to all those who participated in the writing sessions that made this chapter possible. _

**Cookie Dough**

Lorelai sat in the diner, picking at the fries on her plate as she watched Luke tend to his overflowing client base. Her cell phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket, glancing at the caller ID. She frowned as she recognized her parents' phone number. Luke breezed out of the kitchen, his hands laden with plates. He paused in front of her and growled, "Take it outside."

"Don't worry, Luke. I wasn't planning on answering it." She tossed the phone onto the counter and sighed.

Luke set the plates down in front of the customers seated at the other end of the counter, then returned, raising his eyebrows at her. "Okay, I'll bite. Why weren't you planning on answering that?" he asked, jabbing his finger toward the abandoned cell phone.

"Because it was Emily," her voice was calm and emotionless, but Luke knew that it was all a facade for the hurt she was feeling.

His eyes narrowed in concern. He took a deep breath, knowing she wouldn't like what he was about to say. "Don't you think maybe it's time to start talking to her again? It's been over a month now and we're getting married in two weeks."

Lorelai glared at him, and Luke gripped the counter top, bracing himself for the inevitable tirade. "Yes, well, she should have thought of that before she decided to accuse me of only marrying you because I'm having your baby." She lowered her voice on the last word, glancing around nervously before continuing. "Emily Gilmore made this bed, now she has to lie in it."

"She's your mother, Lorelai. She should be there." Luke placed his hand over hers reassuringly. "Do you really want to have this fight hanging over you on our wedding day?"

Lorelai met his eyes, studying him for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I don't want this hanging over me. But I don't know how to fix it."

Luke nudged the phone closer to her. "Calling her back would be a start."

Lorelai stared at the phone, twisting her face into an expression of horror. Finally she picked it up, holding it between her thumb and forefinger as though it were contaminated.

Luke rolled his eyes at her familiar antics. "Lorelai," he warned.

"Fine. I'll do it..." She pointed at her mug. "...After another cup of coffee. And the real stuff this time, not the decaf."

Luke growled softly. "It's not good for the babies."

"I know," she whispered. "But talking to my mother without caffeine in my system isn't good for the mommy, which in turn isn't good for the babies." He looked at her skeptically so she pulled out the big guns, puckering her bottom lip and looking at him mournfully. "Please Luke? Please, please, please?"

"You promise you'll make the call?" Luke had already turned to grab the coffee carafe.

Lorelai beamed at him. "I promise, babe. You're the best."

Luke filled her mug. "I bet you say that to all the guys."

She took a sip of her precious elixir before responding, "Only the ones I plan to marry." Their eyes met again and this time the look they exchanged was filled with love and desire. Lorelai set her coffee down and tried to lean over the counter to kiss him, but her expanding waistline made it difficult for her to reach him without popping a button. She settled back on her stool, grumbling into her coffee mug.

Sensing her frustration, Luke quickly came around the counter, and placed his hands on her cheeks. "This what you were after?" he whispered, kissing her tenderly. He lingered for a moment, tasting the coffee and salt that flavoured her lips. When he pulled away, she closed her eyes, committing the moment to memory.

She opened her eyes slowly, smiling broadly. "Thank you, Luke. That was exactly what I needed," she said softly. Suddenly she clasped her hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle. "I think you'd better get back to work though, Taylor looks like he's going to slap you with a stupid town ordinance if you don't serve him soon."

"I'd like to see him try," Luke snapped, shooting a threatening look in Taylor's direction.

"There's the grump I know and love." Lorelai laughed, patting him on the shoulder before he reluctantly shuffled over to see what Taylor wanted. She turned her attention back to the first real cup of coffee she'd had in weeks and sipped happily. Her cell phone beeped, notifying her that she had a message and she glanced at it guiltily for a nanosecond before shoving it from her mind. _Coffee comes first, the firing squad can wait. _

xxxxx

Emily stared at the phone in her hand with distaste. She didn't understand why Lorelai still refused to talk to her. She had apologized to her daughter and her scruffy diner man. She was planning to attend the wedding. What more did Lorelai want?

"Is there something unusual about that phone, Emily?" Richard's voice startled her, and Emily jumped, dropping the phone onto the hard, marble floor where it shattered.

She glared at the debris as she shouted for the maid de jour, "Lolita!"

A waifish looking girl with long dark hair dashed into the room. "Yes, madam?"

"Bring the broom and clean up this mess," she snapped before turning to her husband, who was gawking at her.

"What is it, Richard?" she asked irritably.

"You seem upset," he said plainly.

"Of course I'm upset. The phone is ruined, and our daughter won't talk to me." Emily's voice rose as she spoke. At her final words, Richard calmly draped his arm over her shoulder and led her into the sitting room.

He didn't say a word as she sat down and he fixed her a drink. Richard handed it to her and sat across from her. "Is this about your fight with Lorelai?"

Emily placed her glass on the coffee table and glared at her husband. "What else would it be about? I still don't understand why she's so upset. I admit I was a bit rude to Luke, but I was distressed. How could she Richard? How could she keep something like that from us? Why wouldn't she want us to know that she was pregnant?"

Richard stared at his hands for a moment, contemplating the best way to respond. "Perhaps she was thinking about the last time she told us she was pregnant. As I recall, it wasn't a very pleasant conversation for any of us."

"She was sixteen! We had every right to be upset." Emily shook her head regretfully. "Throwing her life away like that." There was silence and then, "But she's not a child anymore; this time it would have been different."

Richard caught her gaze and held it. "Would it? Can you honestly say that the minute she told you the news you wouldn't flash back to that awful time?"

Emily paused, and then sighed. "No, I can't. She was a baby, Richard. A baby having a baby. And she wouldn't let us help her."

Richard moved to sit beside his wife. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "I know. But things have been better. She's in our life again, she's a successful businesswoman and she did a great job raising Rory. She's not the same person that left this house 19 years ago. "

Emily rested her head on Richard's shoulder. "I overreacted, Richard. I overreacted and I drove her away. Just like I drove her away before."

Richard just held her, knowing there was more.

"I attacked her relationship with Luke, and I accused her of marrying him because of the baby even though I knew it wasn't true. I'm a horrible mother." She buried her face in her hands.

"You are not a horrible mother." Richard insisted. "You made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes."

"You know what's ironic?" Emily raised her head. "I'm actually starting to like Luke. I think he's good for her, even if he isn't the kind of person I'd imagined her being with."

"He's not Christopher, you mean?"

"No. And thank heaven for that." Emily sat up a bit straighter. "As more time passes, I'm beginning to see just how wrong Christopher would have been for our daughter. Sure, he comes from the right background, but you have to admit, he's never been able to get it together. Luke is different."

Richard nodded. "Luke will give her a good life. He loves her. And she loves him. That's a solid foundation to build a marriage on."

Emily stood up, her jaw set with determination. "I'm going to fix this. If she won't accept my calls, then I'll go to her and apologize in person. I can't let her get married thinking we don't approve of her husband."

Richard rose. "Would you like me to come with you?"

"Thank you, but no. I think this is something I need to do alone." She leaned up to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. "I'll be home soon."

Richard took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Good luck."

xxxxx

Lorelai finished her coffee just as Rory came bounding into the diner.

"Daughter!" She grinned holding her arms out.

"Mother!" Rory hugged her as tightly as she could without squashing her siblings-to-be. "How are Thing One, and Thing Two?" she whispered as she sat beside her mother.

Lorelai glanced around to make sure no one was within hearing distance before replying softly, "Good. They've stopped making me nauseous every time I get near coffee." She gestured at the cup in front of her. "For which I am very grateful."

"So people still don't know?" Rory smiled at Luke who had come over to pour her a cup of coffee.

"No, but I think Patty suspects. She keeps winking at me." Luke grimaced and wandered off, leaving his girls to continue their whispered conversation in privacy.

Rory giggled. "When are you going to tell them?"

"I'm hoping to wait until after the wedding to tell the town, but I was actually planning to tell Sookie today."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm heading over there in a bit to see Martha and Davey and to discuss the menu for the wedding."

"Cool." Rory frowned as she noticed Luke shooting her mother a pointed look from the other side of the room. "Why is Luke looking at you like that?"

Lorelai sighed. "Because I promised to call my mother back if he gave me coffee."

Rory's eyes widened in surprise. "You're going to make up with grandma?"

"Correction: I'm going to _attempt _to make up with grandma."

Rory grinned. "Oh, I'm so glad. Friday Night Dinners are just not the same without you."

Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "Friday Night Dinner wasn't part of the plan," she whined. "I agreed to a phone call, that's it."

Rory rolled her eyes. "You know grandma will expect you to come again."

Lorelai sighed. "Yes, I know. But let me live with my delusions for just a little while longer."

Rory laughed and grabbed Lorelai's cell phone off the counter. She thrust it toward her mother. "Call."

"Now? But I'm communing with my only daughter."

Luke returned to the counter and promptly jumped into the discussion. "Call."

"No fair, ganging up on a woman in my delicate condition." Lorelai pouted.

"Call!" Rory and Luke said in unison.

Lorelai made a big show of sighing and snatching the phone from Rory's hand. "Fiiiiiine. But for the record, you're both _mean._" She quickly punched in the familiar numbers and listened to it ring. After about twelve rings, no one had picked up and Lorelai frowned. Usually the maid answered if no one was home. Although, knowing Emily, she'd fired the maid and hadn't yet replaced her. Lorelai snapped the phone shut triumphantly and beamed at her daughter and Luke. "There's no answer."

Luke narrowed his eyes. "Fine," he grumbled, "but you're trying again later."

She crossed her arms in front of her shoulders, and nodded her head while saying, "Yes, Major Healy," in her best Jeannie voice.

He ignored her and turned his attention to Rory. "You want anything to eat?"

Rory brightened. "A cheeseburger. With onion rings. Oh! And extra pickles."

"Coming right up." Luke disappeared into the kitchen.

Lorelai shoved her phone in her pocket and turned back to Rory. "So, tell me how work is going."

Rory sighed. "Swell."

"That was sincere." Lorelai searched her daughter's face for a moment. "Is that Greg guy still giving you a hard time?"

"You mean Jeffrey?"

"Whatever. Ugly Orange Shirt Dude."

Rory stifled a laugh. "He really does have horrible taste in clothing. Yesterday he was wearing a lime green t-shirt with florescent yellow lettering that said 'i heart clash'."

"Great band, awful colour combo." Lorelai winced at the image.

"I know, but when I asked, he didn't even know who they were."

Lorelai gasped. "Crime!"

"Yeah, well, fashion desecration is the least of my worries." Rory sipped her coffee. "Work has been rough," she admitted after a moment.

Lorelai softened. "Aww, hon, I'm sorry. Tell me about it."

"Well, Jeffrey is still annoyed that I was hired too, and he's doing everything in his power to make my life at work miserable. He's not even giving me a chance." Rory sighed heavily. "It wouldn't be so bad if we weren't expected to work as partners."

"So he's like the male version of Paris?" Lorelai enquired, inwardly snickering at her own joke.

"Ugh, I wish. He's worse, if you can believe it."

"No!"

"He makes Paris look like the Martha Stewart of social skills."

"Oh boy."

"Oh boy is right. I swear, he was the kid who failed Kindergarten. And he totally skipped the lesson on sharing. He's written every piece we've been assigned so far on his own. He won't even give me a chance to help. And then, if the editor doesn't like it, he blames it on me."

"Can't you talk to him?"

"I've tried, but so far it's been ineffective. Anyway, I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's too depressing."

"What's too depressing?" Luke asked as he brought Rory her food. He poured her some coffee and Lorelai held out her mug hopefully. Luke ignored her, instead, placing the coffee pot back on the burner.

"World hunger, war, Taylor. You know, the usual," Lorelai quipped.

"Uh huh," Luke's tone was doubtful. "Shouldn't you be getting to Sookie's?" He pointed to his watch.

Lorelai grabbed his hand and twisted it awkwardly so that she could see the time. "Crap, you're right. Thanks, babe." She released his hand and blew him a kiss before sliding off her stool and giving Rory a quick hug.

"Good luck," Rory said between mouthfuls of onion rings. "Let me know how it goes. Oh, and don't forget to try Grandma again."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Lorelai made a face. "I'll see you Saturday?"

"Of course. I have to make sure you didn't change the bridesmaid dresses. Again."

"Hey, I only changed my mind twice." Rory looked at her pointedly. "Okay, four times. But how was I supposed to know that Sookie was going to have an allergic reaction to the lace?"

"Yes, that was rather unexpected."

"See? Not my fault."

Rory rolled her eyes. "_That_ time."

Lorelai just grinned. She missed this. Bantering with Rory had always been one of her favourite pastimes. Luke cleared his throat and pointed at his watch again. "Right. Well, I'm going to go rock the Casbah. Later, sweets."

xxxxx

Emily pulled up beside Lorelai's Jeep and parked the car. The heel of her Givenchy shoe sank into the moist grass and she silently cursed her daughter for the lack of a proper pathway. She pulled it out and continued to walk toward the house on tiptoe. She rang the doorbell and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited. No one answered, so she rang the bell again, assuming her daughter was upstairs and hadn't heard her. After a third ring with no reply, Emily frowned and tried the handle.

The door swung open easily and she stepped inside, calling, "Lorelai?"

Nothing.

"Lorelai? It's your mother."

Still nothing.

Emily sighed and walked further into the house, but there was no sign of life. After several more failed attempts at calling her daughters' name, she realized that no one was home. She closed the door behind her and trudged carefully back to her car. _Lorelai must be at the diner, _she thought as she pulled out of the driveway and turned toward town. She was determined to find her daughter and settle this whole debacle once and for all.

xxxxx

Lorelai marvelled at the array of cookies, cakes and pastries that dotted every surface of Sookie's kitchen. "Wow, Sookie, even for you this is impressive."

Sookie beamed as she pulled another batch of triple chocolate chip cookies from the oven. "It's not everyday my best friend gets married to the man who secretly loved her for _eight_ years."

Lorelai pretended to consider this. "Well, yes, it is pretty rare." She broke into a huge smile. "He's some kind of wonderful, isn't he?"

Sookie finished laying the cookies out on a cooling rack and laughed as she watched her friend snag some cookie dough from the bowl. "You don't have to convince _me, _sweetie. I've been telling you that for _years._"

"That's true." Lorelai licked her finger, savouring every delicious mouthful.

Sookie suddenly spun around. "Davey!" she snapped, swatting the little hand away from a tray of brightly coloured cakes. "Mommy said 'no more'. You go finish building your tower." Davey pouted and shuffled back to the living room. There was a loud thud as he knocked over a pile of blocks and Sookie quickly added, "Don't you dare wake up your sister!"

Sookie collapsed into a chair. "Why didn't you tell me this parenting stuff was so hard?" she said accusingly.

"Me?" Lorelai asked incredulously. "_Jackson_ was the one who wanted four in four."

Sookie groaned. "Oh, don't remind me. Two is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

Lorelai gulped nervously, thinking about how challenging twins was going to be. Deciding that this was as good an opening as she was going to get, she took a deep breath. "You think your two are tough? What the heck am I going to do with two of them at once?"

Sookie's forehead furrowed in confusion for a moment as she processed Lorelai's words. Something clicked in her brain as she recalled noticing that Lorelai had gained a bit of weight recently. Her chest was looking fuller these days too.

"Oh my God!" Sookie squealed, launching herself at Lorelai. "You're pregnant?" Sookie was squeezing her so tightly that she couldn't speak. Instead, Lorelai nodded emphatically. Sookie pulled away, her face overtaken by a radiant smile. "Wait. Did you say _two_? As in _twins_? You and Luke are having twins?!?!" She paused. "They are Luke's, right?"

Lorelai laughed. "Of course they're Luke's. Who do you think I am? Samantha Jones? And yes, the doctor suspects that we're having twins."

Sookie squealed again, louder this time. "Oooo, this is wonderful. You're getting married, you're having twins. It's all so romantic. You and Luke are going to have the most beautiful babies." Lorelai tried to respond but Sookie kept talking. "Oh, I just had the cutest idea. I can make duplicate versions of everything for the wedding. We'll just make everything smaller and serve them in pairs. It will be so cute. Can't you just picture it?"

Lorelai grasped her shoulders. "Uh, Sook? Slow down for a sec, hon."

"What? Why?"

"People don't really know yet. I mean, Rory knows and Luke, of course. And my parents."

"Your parents? Wait. Is _that _why you and your mother aren't speaking?"

Lorelai nodded. "She cornered Luke at the engagement party and forced him to tell her. Then we had the biggest fight we've ever had. She said some _awful _things to me." Lorelai's eyes misted over at the memory.

Sookie gasped. "That's terrible."

"It's just par for the course when Emily Gilmore is your mother." Lorelai shrugged. "Anyway, the town doesn't know yet, and we'd rather they didn't know until after the wedding."

"No twin broccoli stems?" Sookie looked crestfallen.

"I'm sorry. And since when are we serving broccoli?"

"Since Luke asked me to make sure there was something green on the menu."

"And green frosting wasn't a viable option?" Lorelai gestured to the sweets that surrounded them before dipping her finger into the cookie dough bowl again.

The sweet concoction was halfway to her mouth when Sookie shouted, "Stop!"

Lorelai blinked in confusion as Sookie grasped her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"Preventing you from poisoning the unborn." Sookie pointed to Lorelai's tummy. "There is raw egg in cookie dough. It could harm their foetal development."

Lorelai lowered her hand. "Really? But I ate it when I was pregnant with Rory and she turned out okay. Hey, maybe it's what made her so smart."

"You know that's not true." Sookie took a paper towel and pried the cookie dough from Lorelai's fingers.

Lorelai sighed dejectedly. "You're right. Man, this pregnancy thing sucks. First, I can't eat or even drink coffee for fear of recreating that scene from _Problem Child 2, _and now I can't eat cookie dough? How am I going to survive another 6 months of this?"

Sookie patted her back. "You'll be fine. You survived at sixteen under your parents' roof. And this time you have Luke to hold your hair when you start barfing."

"That was very eloquent." Lorelai snorted.

"Sorry, I have two young children, I don't have time for niceties anymore." As if on cue, Martha started screaming. "See? The baby's awake already. She never seems to sleep longer than 20 minutes."

The wails got louder and Lorelai stood up. "You sit and relax, I'll go get Martha." When Sookie started to protest, Lorelai rubbed her stomach. "It'll be good practise."

"Thanks." Sookie leaned back as Lorelai started to leave the room. "Did I mention how happy I am for you?"

"You did. Thank you." Lorelai smiled, then quickly left to rescue the screaming infant.

_TBC_


	2. Reconciliation

_**A/N: **__Thank you for all the wonderful reviews for the first chapter. I'm thrilled that so many of you were excited to see this saga return. Now, for the second time in one week, here's a new chapter. ENJOY!_

_The Support Stacie Author's Auction starts tonight. (It runs __**April 3-6, 2009**__). I'm up for auction as are several other fabulous authors for GG and about 55 other fandoms. Come out and join the fun, it's for a great cause and it's a lot of fun. _

_I'll also be participating in the Chat-a-thon that's happening this weekend, so if you have any burning questions for me, be sure to log in to __http://www[dot]majiksfanfic[dot]com/phpbb/__on Saturday April 4__th__ at 4:30pm EST (1:30 PST). _

_I'd like to give an extra special thank you to __**Jewels12**__ for all the amazing betaing she has done for me in the past six months. You are fabulous and you've taught me so, so very much. Thank you for being so wonderful and marvellous. _

**Reconciliation**

Emily had to circle the town square a total of eight times before she finally found a parking spot in front of the local grocer. She huffed grumpily as she slid out of her sleek vehicle and smoothed the rumpled fabric of her skirt. She armed the car, causing several passersby to jump at the foreign sound, and marched resolutely toward the diner, head held high.

The diner was filled with an assortment of local riff-raff and Emily had to restrain herself from wrinkling her nose. She scanned the room, looking for daughter. She recognized Miss Patty and Babette and cast them a tight smile as she made her way to the counter. That Kirk fellow was sitting at the counter, waving at her with such enthusiasm that he nearly fell off his stool, and Emily found herself biting her lip to keep from laughing. She was beginning to understand why her daughter liked living here so much. There was certainly never a lack of entertainment.

Realizing that Lorelai was not here either, Emily sighed and turned to leave. At that moment, Luke emerged from the kitchen and spotted her.

"Emily? Hi," Luke said hesitantly.

She spun around to face him, a thin smile gracing her lips. "Hi, Luke."

"You just missed Rory. She just headed over to Lane's place." He pointed in the direction of what Emily assumed must be Lane's. "Can I, uh, get you anything?" Luke shuffled his feet anxiously. He hadn't really been alone with Emily since she'd cornered him at the engagement party.

"No, thank you, Luke. I'm looking for my daughter. I was just at her house and she didn't appear to be home, even though that god awful Jeep was there."

"We walked today. She's at Sookie's right now, but she'll be returning anytime for her mid-afternoon snack." He pointed to an empty stool. "Have a seat while you wait. Are you sure I can't get you anything?"

Emily sat reluctantly, considering his question. "Actually, a cup of coffee would be great."

"Coming right up," Luke said jovially, hoping to lighten to mood. He filled a mug and slid it toward her.

Emily breathed in the scent of the steaming liquid appreciatively before taking a careful sip. She marvelled at the flavour. Lorelai was right; Luke really did make the _best_ coffee. She took another lingering sip, closing her eyes as she savoured it, the previous stresses of her day melting off her shoulders as the warm fluid worked its magic.

Luke watched Emily with interest, noting her movements and reactions. He was suddenly struck by the similarity between the way Lorelai and Emily drank their coffee. Perhaps the two were more alike than either of them realized.

Emily set down the mug and looked him in the eye. "Luke, I owe you an apology," she said brusquely.

Luke blinked, startled out of his musing. He held her gaze and said nothing.

She sat up straighter and in true Gilmore fashion, blurted out a string of almost incoherent sentences. "I should never have cornered you like that. I had no right. I have no excuse for my behaviour, beyond admitting that I had suspicions and I knew that you would crack more easily than Lorelai. It was rude and inconsiderate and my future son-in-law deserves to be treated far better than that." She paused for only a second before continuing, "I also said some horrible things about you to my daughter. I didn't really mean them; I said them because I knew it would hurt her and I wanted to hurt her the way she'd hurt me by shutting me out. Again, this was inexcusable. You are a good man, Luke, and I know that you love her. So I just want you to know that I'm sorry and I hope that some day you will be able to forgive me."

Luke crossed his arms and leaned against the back counter as he processed Emily's apology. He wasn't really upset about the way she'd treated him. He could take it. What angered him the most was the way she'd hurt Lorelai. Every day he saw the pain buried deep in her eyes and every day he felt that pain like a knife in his heart. She tried to hide it, but he knew it was there, eating away at her and causing the chasm between her and her mother to widen.

After another moment of thought, Luke spoke, slowly and deliberately, "Thank you for your apology, Emily." At his words, she visibly relaxed and picked up her coffee mug. "I do forgive you." He paused. "But could you maybe, uh, do something for me."

Emily's eyes widened in surprise. "That depends."

"Could you please try harder to understand where Lorelai is coming from, to get to know her for _who_ she is and not who you _want_ her to be?"

Emily bristled at the insinuation, and she breathed deeply to keep herself from lashing out. As her initial outrage subsided, she stared into her coffee and reflected on his words. There was some truth to what he was saying and though she didn't want to admit it, that truth cut her deeply. She didn't really know her daughter and she'd never truly tried. Instead, she'd continually berated her for not living up to the fantasized image she had in her head. Emily raised her head proudly, trying to hide the fact that Luke's words had affected her so much. "I suppose I can _try._"

Luke breathed a sigh of relief. He'd half expected her to start attacking him. "Thank you, that's all I'm asking." He held his hand out to her and she took it reluctantly, as though fearful that he'd contaminate her.

Emily started to speak but was interrupted by the jingling of the bells above the door. Lorelai walked in, the back of her hand draped dramatically across her forehead. "Luke, I need a cheeseburger, stat. And a double order of fries. And --" She trailed off, her feet abruptly halting in their forward movement as she noticed her mother sitting at the counter. "Mom!"

Emily stood as Lorelai approached her wearily. "Lorelai," her voice was prim and polite as though she were greeting a stranger as opposed to her daughter.

"What are you doing here?" She looked from her mother to Luke. There was tension in the air that made her suspect something had happened between them. She eyed Luke questioningly, but he shook his head and turned to his customers. Knowing he'd tell her later, Lorelai shifted her focus to her mother.

"Well, since you refuse to answer my calls I decided to come to you. We need to talk."

Lorelai sighed. She was tired and hungry and the last thing she wanted to do was get into this now, but she knew she had no choice. She sighed and flopped onto a stool. "Yes. We do. I _was _going to call you back, you know."

"When? When my grandchildren are 16?" Emily hissed.

"Shhh," Lorelai said frantically, scanning the room to make sure no one had overheard. "People don't know yet. And I was going to call you back _today. _In fact, I tried earlier, but there was no answer. Did you fire another maid?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "No, I did not. If you must know, the phone broke. That's part of why I decided to come here instead."

Lorelai rubbed at her lower back and winced. "Okay. Let's talk. But can I please get something to eat first? I'm famished."

"Fine, but then can we go somewhere a little more private? I'd really prefer that not every freak in this town knows our business."

Lorelai quickly agreed. Emily watched as her daughter found Luke, and after a brief, whispered conversation, returned to the counter.

"Okay, Luke's going to bring our food when it's done. Come with me." She took her mother's arm and eased her off the stool.

"Our food? But I didn't order anything."

"Trust me, Mom, you'll like this." Lorelai pulled Emily toward the curtain.

"Where are you taking me?" Emily asked suspiciously as Lorelai propelled her past a storage room and up some stairs.

"You'll see."

xxxxx

As soon as Rory saw her mother leave Sookie's house and enter the diner, she and Lane stealthily made their way to the Belleville house.

Sookie opened the door a crack and quickly ushered them inside. "Did she see you?"

"I don't think so," Lane wheezed, trying to catch her breath. "We were quick."

"Good. I just put Martha down for another nap so we have maybe 20 minutes to get this party planned."

They gathered around the coffee table. "Okay," Rory started, munching on a peanut butter cookie, "so mom wants something mellow this time. Nothing too flashy. And no alcohol."

"No alcohol?" Lane asked curiously.

Sookie shot Rory a panicked look but Rory just smiled; she'd prepared for this. "Mom decided that drinking was partly to blame for her break up with Max and she doesn't want to risk it."

Lane seemed to accept that explanation and Sookie visibly relaxed in her chair as she inundated Rory with questions. "So, what are you thinking, Rory? Food? 'Cause I can do food."

Rory laughed. "Yes, we'll have food. I talked to Kirk, and he said we can rent the Black, White, and Read theatre for a 'nominal' fee. So what I'm thinking is that we can watch a bunch of mom's favourite movies and pig out on all the junk food and Sookie food that we want. We can also plan some time for games and even some dancing."

"Oooooh, Lorelai will _love _it. And Luke will have a heart attack when he hears about the food. It's perfect!" Lane gushed. "Can I be in charge of the music?"

"Of course. You're my music guru."

"Fabulous! I'm thinking a little B52's, a little Bangles, maybe even some Oingo Boingo." Lane pulled a pad out of her bag and started scribbling furiously.

Rory grinned and turned to Sookie. "Any thoughts on the menu?"

"Thousands." Sookie bounced out of her seat and started to circle the room while she spoke, "We could make it a theme. What movies do you want to show? I could make something that relates."

"The classics: Bachelor Party, Willy Wonka, The Sound of Music..."

"Oooooh. I know. I can make little gingerbread men in the shape of Oompa-Loompas!" Sookie tripped over a stray block and Rory jumped up to steady her. "Thanks, sweetie. Oh, pizzas shaped like nuns. No, wait, would that work? I'll have to experiment. Goats! The Sound of Music has goats. Goat cheese, maybe..." Rory shook her head with amusement as Sookie wandered off to the kitchen, mumbling to herself about cheese.

xxxxx

Lorelai and Emily sat at Luke's kitchen table staring at each other in silence. Neither one knew where to begin.

Emily spoke first, "So, this is where Luke lives?"

Lorelai nodded, grateful for the neutral topic. "Yes. It used to be his dad's office, but he converted it into an apartment when he opened the diner." Lorelai pointed to the single bed that sat behind the kitchen. "Luke expanded it when his nephew was living with him. You should have seen how cramped it was in here before that."

"I'm sure," Emily replied dryly.

The awkward silence was back and Lorelai was quick to fill it. "Although, Luke doesn't stay here much anymore."

Emily stiffened. "No. I guess not." She cleared her throat. "Lorelai, I came here to tell you that I'm sorry. I should never have accused you of marrying Luke because you're pregnant. I know you love him. I knew it before you did."

Lorelai looked up in surprise. "You did?"

Emily nodded. "You remember when your father had his heart attack five years ago?"

It was Lorelai's turn to nod. "I brought Luke with me."

"Yes. That was the first time I'd ever met him. You shared a look that night, and in that moment I knew you were in love with him but didn't realize it. A part of me hoped you would never realize or act on it. I was still clinging to the hope that you and Christopher would find a way to get it together. I realize now, how foolish that was."

Both women jumped as the apartment door swung open and Luke entered carrying two plates, laden with food. He set them down on the table and handed them each some cutlery. "Are you good here?" he asked Lorelai softly. "The diner is still packed."

Lorelai patted the back of his hand. "Yeah, we're fine. Thank you, Luke."

Luke leaned down and kissed her gently, lingering just a moment too long before pulling away. He glanced at Emily, then whispered, "I love you."

Lorelai's heart skipped as her lips curled into a bright smile. "I love you too."

His own heart palpitating wildly, Luke strode to the door. "I'll see you later."

Lorelai turned back to her mother and saw her poking suspiciously at the burger in front of her. "What is this?"

"It's a cheeseburger, Mom. The best cheeseburger you'll ever eat. Trust me, I know." Lorelai picked up her own burger and took a bite, moaning as the juicy patty melted in her mouth.

Emily gave hers one last poke before taking her knife and fork and cutting off a small portion. She took a bite and instantly her face changed. "Wow. This _is_ good." She cut a larger piece and chewed thoughtfully prior to resuming their conversation. "I just want you to know, that I want you to be happy and I support your marriage."

Lorelai placed her burger back on her plate. "Thank you, Mom. That means a lot to me. All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy for me."

"I know. And I'm sorry that I failed you, Lorelai. I want to change, but you need to do your part too. I want you to tell me things. Stop shutting your father and I out of your life. I don't want to miss seeing my grandchildren grow up because you and I can't communicate."

"I don't want that, either. I guess I can try."

"Thank you, Lorelai." Emily took another bite of her burger. "This really is delicious. I'll have to remember to compliment Luke before I go."

Lorelai hid her smile. "He'd like that." She studied her mom and after a moment's hesitation, decided to take a leap and reach out. "Hey, Mom?" she began, her voice soft and tentative.

"Yes?" Emily eyed her daughter curiously, sensing something different about her tone.

"Would you maybe, uh, like to help with some of the wedding preparations? We're doing most of the stuff ourselves and some extra hands would really help."

Emily bit her tongue and successfully refrained from criticizing Lorelai's refusal to hire people to help her. Instead, she smiled as she said brightly, "I'd love to assist you. Thank you for including me."

Lorelai was half hoping that her mother would decline, but was surprised to find herself relieved when she accepted. "Thank you, Mom. We're meeting at my house on Sunday morning to make the centre pieces. Do you think you can make it?"

"I don't think we have any engagements arranged for Sunday, so that should be fine. I'll double check my schedule when I get home and I'll call you if there's a problem. Is that all right?"

"That's perfect." Lorelai polished off the last of her fries, swirling the slender potato strip through her ketchup before popping it into her mouth with flourish.

Emily finished her burger and slid her plate away, leaving the fries untouched. "Well, I should go. Your father and I have an appointment this afternoon."

Lorelai stood and walked her mother to the door. "An appointment? Is Dad okay?"

Emily laughed lightly. "Oh, your father is fine. It's nothing like that. Just a little, uh, business errand. I'll see you on Friday for dinner."

Lorelai gaped at her. "But --"

"Tell Luke to come too." Emily glided toward the stairs with a triumphant look in her eye.

Lorelai frowned and watched her mother descend the stairs. Despite her irritation over landing in the Friday Night Dinner trap, she couldn't help wondering what this 'business errand' was. She shrugged, deciding it wasn't important as she returned to the table to retrieve their plates. She snatched some abandoned fries off of Emily's plate and she headed back to the diner.

_TBC_


	3. Queasy, Peasy, Lemon Squeezy

_**A/N:**__ Thank you to everyone who came out for the Support Stacie Auction last weekend. It was a huge success!_

_From now on, this story will be unbetaed so all errors are mine. If you do notice anything, please feel free to PM me and let me know so I can fix them. _

_Thank you all for your continued support and reviews. _

**Queasy, Peasy, Lemon Squeezy**

Rory rushed into work ten minutes early the next day, and was pleased to discover she'd arrived before Jeffrey for once. She grabbed herself a cup of coffee and arranged her mug and notepad neatly on her desk. She turned on her computer, and while she waited for it to boot up, the editor came by with their new assignment. He handed it to Rory distractedly and sped off to speak with one the features writers.

Rory snatched up the paper eagerly, relieved that she'd finally have the chance to do some proper writing. When she saw what the topic was, she had to stifle a laugh. She was already doing a google search for multiple pregnancies by the time Jeffrey sauntered in, five minutes late. He barely spared her a glance as he booted up his computer and plopped into his chair.

Rory was used to having him ignore her, so she merely greeted him with a simple, "Hi, Jeff," expecting him to grumble that his name was _Jeffrey _not _Jeff. _To her surprise, he muttered a quick 'hello' instead - something he never did. She studied him for a moment, sensing that something was different. He wasn't his usual, annoying self. _He's wearing the same outfit as yesterday, _she noted, thinking it was a bit odd.

"I have our assignment," Rory told him, holding up the sheet of paper.

"Oh, that's nice," Jeffrey said absently. Then he shook his head and seemed to register her words. "Here, give that to me, I'll write it."

_That sounds more like him, _Rory thought, oddly comforted by the idea. "No. You've written everything we've been assigned so far. It's my turn. Besides, this is a topic you know nothing about."

Jeffrey's cheeks reddened, and his eyes blazed. "I have more experience than you, this is a serious paper, not some college newsletter. People actually read this stuff, and it should be written by a proper reporter." He narrowed his eyes. "Not some spoiled, prissy, little rich girl."

Rory felt her own anger rising. Jeffrey hadn't exactly been friendly thus far, but he'd never been mean. "I am _not_ some 'spoiled, prissy, little rich girl' as you put it. Which you would know, if you'd ever bothered to step off your high and mighty pedestal and actually have a conversation with me. You haven't given me a chance to show you what I'm capable of, instead you've just assumed that you're better than me. Well, you know what? You're not. I'm just as good at reporting as you are, and I'll prove it."

Jeffrey looked a little stunned by her outburst, but quickly recovered by responding snarkily, "You'll _prove _it to me? And just how are you going to do that?" He crossed his arms and glared at her smugly.

Rory thought quickly. "We each write our own version of this article and submit it." She held up the paper with their assignment written on it. "When mine is the one chosen for publication, you will know that I'm right."

Jeffrey held her gaze for a moment, then nodded sharply. "Okay, you're on. But don't be disappointed when my article is chosen over yours."

"Ha. Like that will ever happen," Rory retorted confidently. "Now 'shh', I have work to do." With that, she turned back to her computer screen and began scribbling furiously on the note pad in front of her.

xxxxx

The door to the Gilmore mansion closed behind them, and Luke and Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief as the walked to the truck. They had survived Emily's relentless questioning about the wedding, and Richard's barrage of insurance enquiries. Lorelai had eaten suspicious green leafy substances at her mother's insistence and Luke had been coerced into eating an elaborate dessert. Now, they were both exhausted, and Lorelai's stomach was churning.

"You okay?" Luke asked her once they were settled in their seats.

"Hmm?"

"You've been quieter than usual. Is something wrong?" His voice was tinged with concern.

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just not feeling well. I thought the morning sickness was supposed to end once you reached the second trimester. It did when I had Rory."

"Rory wasn't twins. The doctor _did_ say that your symptoms could be worse because of the multiple pregnancy." Luke pulled out of the driveway.

"I know," Lorelai whined, "but I was doing better. Now all of the sudden I'm Queasy McGee again." She abruptly covered her mouth. "Oh God! Pull over."

Luke swerved onto the shoulder and braked. Before the truck had come to a complete stop, Lorelai swung the door open and dived out. Luke winced when he heard her retching. She returned a few minutes later, a grin on her face. "Apparently the babies detest all things green," she decreed triumphantly. "I can't wait to tell my mother I can't eat vegetables."

Luke hid his smile and tried to look stern. "There _are_ non-green vegetables you know."

Lorelai gasped. "Liar." She took a swig from a water bottle that she now carried, just in case.

"It's true. Ask anyone - Sookie, Jackson, Rory - they'll all tell you the same thing."

"Traitors, the whole lot of you," Lorelai grumbled. "I finally have a valid excuse not to eat vegetables, and you ruin it." She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.

Luke patted her leg as he joined the flow of traffic again. "You feeling better?" His voice was soft, and filled with love.

Lorelai felt a lump forming in her throat as she nodded, touched by his concern. "I'm much better now. Thanks." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, as much for her own comfort as his.

xxxxx

Saturday morning, Luke was the first to rise, as usual. He was in the kitchen, tending to something on the stove when Rory emerged from her room, stumbling and bleary eyed.

"Coffee?" she asked sleepily.

Luke pointed to the pot and flipped the egg white omelette he was frying. Rory poured herself a mug and took a sip. She promptly spat it out and grimaced in disgust. "This is decaf!"

"Of course it's decaf. Do you want your siblings to have two heads?" Luke turned the stove off and slid the omelette onto a plate.

Rory sighed and attempted another sip. "Fine. But you owe me a proper cup of coffee when I come to Luke's later."

Luke added toast and some orange slices to the plate before looking at her again. "Deal." He placed the dish on a tray and poured another mug of coffee. He put it next to the plate and adjusted the lilies that stood in a vase beside it. He took a step back to admire his handiwork.

Rory watched him curiously. "Are you surprising mom with breakfast in bed?"

Luke blushed. "I just thought -- you know, since we're getting married on Wednesday -- I thought it would be nice. Romantic," he stammered.

Rory grinned. "Awww, Luke, you old softy." He looked embarrassed, so she quickly added, "Mom will love it. She always used to fantasize about getting breakfast in bed. When I was little, she even managed to convince me to do it for her a few times. Your version is much nicer than the pop-tarts and leftover pizza that I used to bring her."

Luke relaxed as he imagined a tiny Rory proudly presenting her child-like spread to her mother. He could see Lorelai laughing and enjoying the moment with her only daughter. He couldn't help beaming as a wave of love for the two of them washed over him. "I bet your mom loved that."

"Yeah, I think she did." Rory sounded wistful. "She'll love this too. Plus, it'll get her up earlier and maybe she'll actually be on time for the dress fitting we have this morning."

"That was the plan." Luke picked up the tray and carried it toward the stairs.

"Thanks for the coffee, Luke," Rory called after him, even as she tiptoed over to the sink and dumped it down the drain. Decaf coffee was _so_ not the same.

xxxxx

Luke balanced the tray with his knee and carefully opened the bedroom door. He grasped the tray with both hands and used his back to push his way into the room. Lorelai was sprawled out across the bed, her long hair splayed over the pillow. Her arm was draped protectively on top of her belly and she was sleeping peacefully. Luke stared for a moment, marvelling at her beauty. He was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. _In four days, that amazing woman, who is carrying my children, will be my wife. _The thought made him happier than he'd ever imagined. He'd wanted this for so long and now it was finally happening.

Luke placed the tray safely on the dresser and crawled onto the bed to wake her. He kissed her tenderly, then softly pressed his lips to both of her delicate eyelids. Her eyes fluttered open, her eyelashes tickling his mouth.

"Good morning," he whispered, pulling away slightly.

A slow, sleepy smile filled her face. "Morning."

Luke kissed her again, more deeply this time. Lorelai's lips parted and their tongues intertwined, greeting each other with familiar enthusiasm.

"I brought you something," Luke said softly when they finally separated.

Lorelai's eyes lit up. "A present? For me? I love presents."

"I know." Luke chuckled. "You have to sit up for this one, though."

"Aww, but I'm so comfy." Lorelai snuggled into her pillow and reached for Luke. He took her outstretched hand and used it to pull her to a sitting position. "Hey! That's cheating," she complained.

Luke silenced her by pressing his finger to her lips. "Shhh. You'll like this. I promise." He slid off the bed and retrieved her breakfast.

When Lorelai saw what he was doing, she squealed. "Oooh, Luke! You made me breakfast in bed?"

"I did." Luke positioned the tray over her lap.

She looked down at it and frowned, pointing to the omelette. "What is that?"

"An omelette," Luke said as he sat beside her.

"No, it's not. Omelettes are orangey yellow and cheesily delicious. This is white."

"It's an egg-white omelette."

Lorelai gaped at him. "Did you suddenly think I turned into Michel? Because _he's _the one who eats this kind of crap, not me."

Luke sighed. "Lorelai, it's healthy. Egg yolk isn't good for you. You're eating for two, remember?"

Lorelai nodded slowly. "Three actually."

"What?"

"I'm eating for three: Me, Eleanor, and Rigby." She patted her stomach.

Luke laughed. "I'll fight you on the names later. Now, eat. You have your final dress fitting in an hour."

"You're right." Lorelai took a bite of the omelette and was surprised to discover that it wasn't too bad. "I'm sorry for giving you a hard time. This was really sweet." She gestured to the tray and trailed her finger of the petal of one of the lillies. "Rory used to bring me breakfast in bed sometimes."

"Yeah, she told me – pizza and pop-tarts." She noticed the mug next to the flowers. "Ooooh, you brought me coffee? If I wasn't already in love with you, this would have done it."

"If I had known that, I would have brought you breakfast in bed eight years ago."

Lorelai was too busy taking a sip of her coffee to respond. As soon as she tasted it, she spat it out, managing to shower Luke with it in the process. "Hey. This is decaf!"

Luke wiped the coffee off his face. "Yes, it's decaf. I'm not letting Mary Kate and Ashley grow an extra arm."

"You know who Mary Kate and Ashley are?" Lorelai was incredulous.

"I know things. I don't exactly live in a cave, you know."

"Not anymore, you don't. Welcome to the real world. Real World: Stars Hollow." With that, she picked up her fork again and began to eat.

_TBC_


	4. Nuns, Pool, and Parties Too

_**A/N: **__Once again this chapter is unbetaed so any and all errors are mine. _

_Thank you to everyone for the great reviews. _

_**Nuns, Pool, and Parties Too**_

"Are you _sure_ these are the dresses I picked?" Lorelai frowned as she examined Rory and Sookie.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mom, they're the right dresses."

Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "But they're so blue. I don't remember them being that bright."

Sookie took Lorelai's arm and gently led her to a fabric-covered bench. "Honey, calm down. These are the right dresses. Look at how well they fit."

"Are you certain?" Lorelai rubbed the hem of Sookie's dress.

"Yes!" Rory and Sookie shouted in unison.

Lorelai looked unconvinced. "But --"

"Mom, the dresses are fine. And they look great." Rory spun around to emphasize her point.

"Besides, the wedding is in four days and we need to take these with us today," Sookie said patiently. "Hon, what's really going on here? Where is this freak-out coming from?"

Lorelai buried her face in her hands and mumbled, "Mwriedmdesswntft."

"What was that?" Sookie looked to Rory for translation, but Rory merely shrugged. When Lorelai still didn't answer, Sookie pulled her hands away from her face. "Lorelai?"

"I'mworriedmydresswon'tfit," Lorelai blurted in a rush.

"It fit you five days ago," Rory pointed out practically.

"But what if my stomach has grown since then? The babies are getting bigger all the time. What if they turn me into Viloet Beauregard?" She glanced from Sookie to Rory. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"

Sookie nodded. "Just a little."

"Come on, Mom." Rory grasped her hand and yanked her up. She took the dress off a hook. "Try it on."

Lorelai eyed the dress wearily, and followed Rory into the dressing room.

Five minutes later, she stepped out and stood in front of the mirror. The dress fit like a glove.

Sookie squealed. "That dress was made for you!" She dabbed a tear from the corner of her eye. "Oh, you're beautiful, you know that?"

"I agree, Mom," Rory said as she started at her mother in awe. "You look amazing. I swear, Luke is going to love it."

Sookie clapped. "Oh, he is, isn't he?"

Lorelai stared at herself in the mirror. She loved this dress and was so relieved that it not only fit, but also had a bit of give around the belly in case she expanded any further before the ceremony. She smoothed the intricate lace that lay across her middle. "It's perfect." Tears formed in her eyes and she batted them away. Suddenly, four days seemed like an eternity; she couldn't wait to marry Luke.

xxxxx

On Sunday morning Lorelai's living room was filled with women. Rory had organized everyone into an assembly line for wrapping the _Jordan Almonds_ and they were all working hard at their assigned jobs. Gypsy was cutting the tulle into circles, Patty was cutting the ribbons to the correct length, Lorelai was placing three almonds in the centre of each tulle circle, and Babette and Emily were working together to tie the packages with a bow.

Rory swatted Lorelai's hands as she tried to plop some almonds into her mouth. "Mom, that's the third time I've had to stop you from eating the almonds."

"But Ro-ry, I'm starving," Lorelai whined. "And they're just screaming my name. They're saying, 'Eat me Lorelai, eat me.'"

"Didn't you just eat a slice of cold pizza?" Babette asked as she finished tying a bow and added the bundle to the pile at her feet.

Lorelai shifted uncomfortably and quickly tossed an almond into her mouth. "Maybe."

"I saw that!" Rory accused. "That's it, you're fired."

"You'd fire your own mother? Mean!"

"You're eating our work. Go finish the seating chart instead."

Lorelai pouted. "Mom, your granddaughter is evil, did you know that? Evil!"

"She's right, Lorelai, you shouldn't eat the almonds that are intended for your wedding guests. Emily Post would be horrified." Emily sighed as Babette snatched yet another bundle from her hands and tied it herself. "Babette doesn't need me here; why don't I take a look at that seating chart with you?"

Lorelai stood up and searched the room for a way out of one-on-one time with her mother. "I'm sure Gypsy could use your help."

Gypsy looked horrified. "Not really," she said quickly. "Besides, I'm not much of a team player."

"Don't be childish, Lorelai. Let's get to work."

"Fine." Lorelai pulled out the seating chart and placed it on the desk. "You can start while I get another chair."

"Thank you." Emily sat rigidly and frowned as she examined the chart.

Lorelai joined her a moment later and the two of them immediately began to bicker about where Aunt Totsy should be seated.

Patty broke the tension, "So, Rory, tell us about this new job of yours."

"Yeah. I bet you're doin' a fabulous job," Babette piped up excitedly.

"Of course she is," Gypsy said confidently, "she's Rory."

"When can we expect your first article?" Emily asked. "I can't wait to show it off at the DAR. That will show Biddy Thompson. That woman is odious – always going on and on about that trampy daughter of hers."

"Well, actually I just got a new assignment on Friday," Rory confessed.

"You did? And you didn't tell _me_, your own mother?" Lorelai cried dramatically, pretending to pout.

"I'm telling you now." Rory passed Babette a new bundle of almonds.

"Well?" Patty implored. "What is it about? Is it about the business called 'show'? Because if it is – oh, the stories I could tell you."

Rory cast a glance at her mother. "Oh, um, the topic is, uh, 'multiple pregnancies'."

Lorelai abruptly dropped the seating chart. "What?"

"She said, 'multiple pregnancies'," Babette squeaked loudly.

"That's a weird subject if you ask me," Gypsy scoffed.

"Apparently they're on the rise." Rory shrugged.

Emily snatched up the seating chart. "You should interview your -"

"Doctor," Lorelai interrupted quickly. "A doctor would have _lots_ of inside information. Great idea, Mom!"

Realization dawned and Emily played along. "Yes. I could give you Doctor Ward's number. He's the top in his field."

"Uh, sure. That would be great, Grandma."

Gypsy changed the subject and Lorelai was so relieved, she could have kissed her. "What time does the party start tonight?"

"Party?" Emily asked.

"We're giving Lorelai a bachelorette party tonight," Babette said proudly. "It's gonna be amazin'"

"That reminds me," Patty cried. "Rory, would you like me to bring my founders day punch?"

Rory shook her head vigorously. "Thank you, Miss Patty, but it's unnecessary. Sookie has all food and beverages covered." She turned to Gypsy. "We're meeting at seven."

"And the event will be where?" Lorelai asked hopefully.

"Nice try, Mom. It's a surprise." Rory rolled her eyes as Lorelai stuck out her bottom lip playfully. "You could join us if you want, Grandma."

Emily made a note on the seating chart. "Thank you, Rory, I'd like that. I'll just have to let your grandfather know."

"This is the last one," Gypsy declared as she finished cutting the final piece of tulle.

"Good. I'm gettin' tenitous." Babette flexed her wrist.

"I think you mean tendonitis, Babette," Rory corrected as she reached for the last 3 almonds.

"Yeah, that." Babette tied the final bow and tossed it onto the pile triumphantly. "Can we help ya with anythin' else?"

"Nope, I think I've got it from here. Thanks so much for your help."

xxxxx

Lorelai rushed into the bedroom and made a beeline for the closet. She pulled out a cute shirt and held it up, spinning around to see it in the mirror.

"Guh!" she screamed, dropping the shirt when she noticed Luke standing by the dresser. "Luke? How long have you been there?" She held her hand over her heart. "Jeez, make a noise or something."

"I was here before you." He opened a drawer and frowned contemplatively. "What the hell does one wear to a bachelor party?"

"Bachelory things," Lorelai responded automatically.

"Thanks. That was helpful." Luke pulled out a blue sweater and narrowed his eyes. "What do you think of this one?" He held it up for her to see.

The blue of his eyes popped and Lorelai's pulse started racing wildly. "Uh.. that's pretty good."

Luke nodded and pulled his flannel and t-shirt over his head. Lorelai stared, baffled that the sight of his bare chest still took her breath away, even after all this time. She watched appreciatively as he pulled the sweater over his head and it molded to his muscles. He caught her staring and she felt the flush burning her cheeks.

"So what are you wearing tonight?" Luke asked as he exchanged his jeans for a pair of slacks.

Lorelai scooped up the shirt she'd dropped on the floor and sighed. "This? Or maybe a dress? I don't really know. Rory refuses to tell me where we are going. For all I know she's taking me dumpster diving." Lorelai discarded the shirt and pulled out another.

"Hey, at least you have your responsible, trustworthy daughter planning your party. I have Kirk. There's likely to be fire, flood or famine tonight. How the hell did I end up with Kirk?"

Lorelai added yet another shirt to the reject pile and grabbed a dress. "Because Kirk is sad and pathetic and was whining about being left out. As I recall, he kicked up such a fuss that you finally agreed to let him plan your party, just so he'd shut up."

"I'm dumb." Luke reached around her and took down a purple and black skirt that she loved. "Wear this."

Lorelai accepted the hanger. "Oh, it's perfect. Thanks, babe."

She started to change and it was Luke's turn to stare. He smiled as he took in the gentle swell of her stomach and the increased fullness of her breasts. She was more stunning than ever, and he struggled to prevent himself from jumping her right then and there. Lorelai pulled on the skirt and a low cut v-neck. She twirled and Luke moaned, low and deep.

"You like?" Lorelai asked coyly.

In response, Luke closed the gap between them with two large strides and crushed his lips to hers. His tongue prodded her lips and she parted them with a soft sigh. They began a delicate tango as they each melted further into the kiss. They separated, eyes blazing as they panted rapidly.

"What are the chances we can just skip the parties and stay here instead?" Luke's voice was gravelly and filled with need.

Lorelai glanced longingly at the bed. "I'd love nothing more, but Rory would be disappointed. Besides, you can't abandon Kirk – he might start cavorting with TJ."

Luke shuddered at the thought. "Okay, but I plan to do unspeakable things to you later," he whispered, kissing her ear.

"I can't wait." She met his lips again briefly. "I love you, you know that?"

"The feeling is mutual." Luke bend down to scoop up her shoes. "I guess we better get going before we get carried away."

"Good plan, Stan." Lorelai grinned, took the shoes from him, grasped his hand and led him from the room.

xxxxx

"Are we there yet?" Lorelai whined, tugging at the blindfold that was tied over her eyes.

"My answer is the same as it was five seconds ago, Mom," Rory said patiently as she led her mother toward the theatre.

"You're sure you aren't about to lead me into a shark-infested lake?"

"Sharks don't live in lakes - or Stars Hollow." Rory rolled her eyes.

"Well, I meant it metaphorically."

"You doubt me, your perfect, innocent, daughter?"

"Yes."

"I'm hurt." Rory gasped in mock horror. She opened the door to the Black, White and Read Movie Theatre. "Okay, we're here."

"Finally. I was beginning to think we were walking to Canada." Lorelai grasped the blindfold. "Can I take this off now?"

"Yes. Here, I'll help you." Rory untied the cotton fabric.

Lorelai opened her eyes and immediately squealed. "Oh, Rory," she gushed, "I love it." The room had been decorated with assorted _Sound of Music_ themed objects. Nuns, schnitzel, goats, raindrops, roses, ponies and other appropriate images adorned every available surface. She spotted the spread of junk foods that Sookie had set up beside the stairs. "Oh, my God! Did you arrange the ultimate movie night?"

Rory nodded and led her mother further into the room. The party guests had already arrived and were scattered throughout the room.

Emily spotted her family and promptly headed toward them. "Lorelai, Rory, thank goodness." She lowered her voice, "That strange blond woman keeps following me around and calling me her 'almost mother-in-law'."

Lorelai followed the line of her gaze and promptly spotted Liz talking to Miss Patty and Babette. "Oh, that's Liz, Luke's sister."

"Oh. Well, that makes a little more sense." Emily turned to Lorelai. "I suppose 'Best Wishes' are in order." She pulled her daughter into an awkward hug.

"Thanks, Mom." She spotted Liz making a bee-line for her. "I guess I better go mingle with the guests before the movie starts."

"Lorelai!" Liz enveloped her in a huge bear hug. "We're almost sisters. How cool is that? I always wanted a younger sis to gab with and now I'll finally have one. I can't wait."

"Yeah, that will be, um, fun." Lorelai smiled kindly. "I see Sookie at the table, I'll catch up with you later."

"Okay, later 'sis'," Liz called after her.

"Sookie, this food is incredible." Lorelai gestured to the table. "Oh! Are those nun-shaped pizzas?" She practically clobbered her friend. "I love them."

"I call them Nunzza's," Sookie proclaimed proudly.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Lorelai dove for a slice and moaned appreciatively. "Holy crap, that's incredible. You've outdone yourself, my friend."

"Thanks." Sookie handed her a napkin.

After that, Lorelai made her rounds, taking the time to talk with each person who'd come. Her conversation with Gypsy had been amusing, and she found herself chuckling about it hours later. They had debated the act of carburetor removal and it's merits, with Gypsy deciding that it was possibly the best movie moment ever seen on the big screen.

Soon, Rory settled everyone down, making sure they each had a full plate of delicious food before sitting in their seats. When they were ready to begin, Rory stood to talk about the movie.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. It means so much to my mother and I. I hope you will all join us for the wedding on Wednesday. I managed to get a hold of the _Sing-a-long Sound of Music_, so, whenever there's singing, please join in." Her introduction was met with enthusiastic cheers. "Now, without further ado, I present you, Maria Von Trappe and those lively hills of musak!!"

xxxxx

Kirk stared miserably at the 'Out of Business' sign that hung on the door of the Karaoke club in Hartford. "But they were in the phone book," he insisted desperately. "If they're in the phone book then they should be open."

"That's what you get for not supporting our local businesses," Taylor said smugly. "We could have gone to KC's and then you'd be guaranteed to get a good deal."

"Shut up, Taylor," Luke barked irritatedly. He turned to Kirk. "I don't know why you thought I'd like Karaoke anyway. I don't sing."

"Come on, Luke," TJ piped up. "It's not about the singing. It's about the booze and the girls."

Jess rolled his eyes. "With you, everything is about the booze and girls."

"What can I say? I like what I like." TJ shrugged. "Don't get me wrong. I love Liz, but there's nothing wrong with appreciating an attractive woman." Kirk and Andrew nodded in agreement.

"So what do we do now? I don't really think standing outside an abandoned building in the cold all night is going to be very fun," Andrew whined.

Kirk looked panicked. Clearly he did not have a back up plan. Luke sighed. He _knew_ he should have asked Jess to plan the party. At least then they'd be inside.

Richard cleared his throat and all eyes shifted to him. He'd asked to tag along when he'd discovered that his wife was attending Lorelai's bachelorette party. "We're not far from my house. It's warm there and I have plenty of perfectly good alcohol and a pool table. I'm sure the maid could whip us up something to eat. What do you say?"

Several eyebrows were raised at the word 'maid', but everyone seemed to be amenable to the idea. Kirk looked relieved and promptly began organizing rides for everyone.

Luke moved toward his future father-in-law. "Thank you, Richard," he said in a low voice. "This is very generous of you."

Richard waved him off. "Oh, it's nothing. Besides, I can't have my daughter's future husband celebrate the last days of his freedom in the middle of an abandoned street." Richard slapped Luke on the back jovially.

Kirk was studying a list in his hand and talking to himself. Finally he turned to Richard. "If you can drive Luke, Jess and TJ, then everyone will have a ride. Is that okay?" His eyes were wide as though he expected the older man to get upset with him.

Richard smiled. "Certainly." Kirk relaxed and raced off after Taylor.

TJ came over to them with Jess trailing reluctantly behind him. "Looks like I'm riding with you, Dick!" TJ said enthusiastically.

Jess winced and leaned in so that only Luke could hear him. "Mom sure knows how to pick 'em, doesn't she, Uncle Luke?"

Luke nodded. "The scary thing is that TJ is perfectly normal compared to some of the others."

Jess laughed. "Ain't that the truth? Well, what do you say we get this gong-show over with?"

"Good plan." They began walking to the car and Luke overheard TJ attempting to engage Richard in a conversation about nicknames. He groaned and said to Jess, "Between Taylor, Kirk and TJ, I'm not sure how I'm going to survive this evening."

Jess clapped him on the shoulder. "Lots and lots of beer."

"Yeah," Luke's voice was distant as his thoughts suddenly drifted to his interlude with Lorelai when they were getting ready. He smiled and began walking faster. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could get home and follow through on his promise.

_TBC_


	5. In Your Eyes

**In Your Eyes**

She was a vision in white as she floated down the aisle toward him, and Luke felt his breath hitch in his chest. She beamed, her whole face radiant as she came to him, her father at her side.

Richard was smiling too, and Luke couldn't help but notice tears forming at the base of his eyes as they arrived at the front of the church where he kissed Lorelai on the cheek.

Lorelai was only a few feet away from him and his knees almost buckled in anticipation. He'd been waiting for this moment for so long, and now that it was here, his happiness was almost overwhelming. As she took another step toward him, he sought out her eyes, locking on them as he savoured the beauty of the moment in his heart forever.

After what seemed like an eternity, she was standing before him, her hands grasping his own. He continued to stare into the depths of her azure eyes, his awareness of the rest of his surroundings fading away. It was all about her, nothing else mattered.

Most of the ceremony was a blur to him, and he barely remembered repeating the minister's words or exchanging rings. When it came time to say his vows, he poured out his heart to her, not caring that everyone else could hear. He told her how much he loved her, how he would never leave her, how he was hers forever. Then she declared her own vows to him and he found himself tearing up as he listened to her speak, his heart pounding in his chest while a flood of emotions overwhelmed him. He carefully and consciously stored each word in his memory, knowing he would never forget them, that he would treasure those precious words of love forever.

By the time the minister declared them husband and wife, Luke was bursting with joy, love and happiness. He caught her lips with his, pouring all of his emotions into the act, showing her just how much she meant to him, how special she was, how much he loved her. She kissed him back, with equal fervour, and he found himself wishing that they could be alone so he could lavish her with his love.

The roar of applause from the congregation finally broke through his defences and he reluctantly pulled away from his wife. He couldn't help smiling as Lorelai took his hand and together they made their first steps into the world as husband and wife.

xxxxx

Emily adjusted the veil on Lorelai's head, gazing at her daughter lovingly. She'd never seen her looking more vibrant, or more alive, and she knew then that she'd been right in supporting this marriage. She pulled Lorelai into a spontaneous hug, causing her to gasp in surprise.

She held her daughter tightly and told her how much she loved her, how proud she was of all that Lorelai had accomplished and how very happy she was for her. Emily wanted to provide Lorelai with words of wisdom, little nuggets of knowledge that would help her to lead a content marital life, but before she could begin, Rory poked her head through the door, announcing that it was time to go.

Emily nodded and squeezed Lorelai's hand as she passed, offering her support and strength to help calm the nerves she was certain to be feeling. Then she made her way to the main church where she was escorted to her seat by Luke's nephew, Jess.

She watched proudly as Rory walked down the aisle, clad in a flattering blue dress and donning a simple, yet lovely, bouquet of flowers. Sookie followed Rory, and soon both were standing at the front of the church, opposite the groomsmen.

The music changed and everyone stood. As Richard and Lorelai strode down the aisle, Emily caught her husband's eye, sharing with him an emotional look of loss, pride and happiness. Richard left Lorelai at the altar and came to stand beside Emily. He promptly took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

Emily felt herself tearing up as she listened to Luke bear his soul publicly. When Lorelai in turn, proclaimed her love for Luke, a single tear was trickling down her cheek. By the time they kissed as husband and wife, Emily was openly sobbing, so moved by their love that she couldn't believe she had ever doubted it.

She stood, beaming as she applauded, realizing that she hadn't lost a daughter, she had gained a son.

xxxxx

Miss Patty was positively bursting with joy as she entered the crowded church. She spotted Babette and Morey and promptly headed over to her friends. The two women practically squealed with delight as they sat down. They had both been waiting for this day for almost nine years, and Patty had almost begun to lose hope that it would ever happen.

She'd known they were in love, of course; had known it long before either of them had even realized it. She'd seen it blossom between them with her own two eyes and had sat on the sidelines in frustration for years as she watched missed opportunities pass between them time and time again. She'd contemplated interfering on several occasions, so eager was she to see them both happy, but she had known intuitively that this was something they needed to discover on their own.

Patty still remembered the day when she noticed that something had changed between her favourite star-crossed lovers. The yearning looks between them had increased in frequency and the two were becoming even more inseparable. Then she started noticing little differences in Lorelai's behaviour – she was clumsier than normal, and any time Luke's name was mentioned, she'd start to blush. At the test run at the Dragonfly, the sexual tension between them had been so unbearable that Patty had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything.

There were rumours floating around town that Kirk had seen Luke and Lorelai kissing in the doorway of the Dragonfly that evening, but Patty had been cautious in believing the story. She was afraid she'd end up disappointed. Luckily, the rumours were confirmed that fateful morning when Lorelai had entered the diner wearing nothing but Luke's flannel shirt. Patty had been thrilled; she knew that they were perfect for each other.

They'd scared her when they'd broken up a few months after that, and the relief she'd felt when they finally got back together was akin to the relief she'd felt when her second husband had finally left her.

Now, as she watched them finally make their love for one another official, she felt like a proud mother hen. She loved them both as though they _were_ her children and their happiness meant more to her than her own. She sniffled as Luke and Lorelai recited their heart-felt vows and blubbered as they exchanged rings. She cheered as they engaged in a kiss so passionate that a frisson of heat filled the room.

She'd been to a million weddings in her lifetime, including four of her own, but never in her life had Patricia LaCosta been more genuinely delighted for a couple than she was for Luke and Lorelai.

xxxxx

As Richard stood in the hallway waiting for his daughter to join him, he watched Luke take his place at the end of the aisle. He remembered as though it were yesterday, what it felt like to be in his shoes, waiting for the woman he loved to come to him so they could begin their life together.

A rustling sound stole his attention, and he turned to see Lorelai walking toward him, her flattering white dress flowing elegantly to the floor. He was overcome with emotion by her beauty and he fell in love with his daughter all over again, just as he had on the day of her birth, so many years ago. She had been so delicate then, so fresh, and pink and new. Now, here she was, strong and confident and independent and every bit as beautiful.

Tears dotted the corners of his eyes and Richard had to turn away as the nostalgia swept over him. A series of memories flashed through his mind. _Lorelai at two, climbing into his lap with a favourite book and laughing as he changed his voice to suit the different characters. Lorelai at four, tearfully hugging his knees as she begged for a kitten. Lorelai at seven, proudly showing off her first spelling test of the second grade, marked with a shiny gold star. Lorelai at nine, declaring she wanted to be a scientist one day. Lorelai at thirteen, running to him for comfort after a fight with her mother. Lorelai at seventeen, holding her infant daughter in her arms, a look of unconditional love stamped across her face. _Richard blinked and returned to the present. He missed his little girl, and though he was very proud of the way she had grown up, he couldn't help but feel he was losing her today.

Then he saw the pure happiness that radiated from her eyes, and all thoughts of loss fled. He smiled at her, offering his arm. She took it gratefully, breathing nervously as they approached the church doors. He whispered encouraging words in her ear as the doors swung open and they began to walk.

His eyes met Emily's instantly and he knew from the look in her eyes that she was feeling the same mixed emotions that he was. He smiled encouragingly before breaking the gaze and glancing toward the empty space where traditionally the groom's parents would sit. It dawned on Richard then, that Luke had no family. Well, sure, he had his sister and his nephew, but that wasn't the same as having parents, especially on a day like today. A deep sadness filled Richard's heart. He decided in that moment, that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Luke knew that he and Emily were his family now too.

Richard no longer felt like he was losing Lorelai as he lifted her veil and kissed her cheek. He nodded to Luke and took his seat next to his wife. He immediately grasped her hand, needing her comfort as much as he knew she needed his. Together they sat in silence, watching as the man who loved their daughter officially became a part of the family.

xxxxx

Sookie awoke that morning as nervous as she had been on her own wedding day. She'd clattered her way around the kitchen, dropping and breaking things as she attempted to make breakfast. Jackson had finally taken over, pleading with her to calm down.

The very moment she arrived at the church, she embraced Lorelai in a warm hug. She was thrilled for her friend and she wanted her to know it. Then she'd babbled nervously as she and Rory helped Lorelai finish getting ready.

By the time Lorelai was fully dressed, Sookie had tears in her eyes. She couldn't get over how perfect Lorelai looked. Just the thought of Luke's reaction when he saw her, was enough to make Sookie almost vibrate with anticipation. When Emily came to help a little bit later, Sookie and Rory slipped from the room, giving the mother and daughter some privacy.

The walk down the aisle had been a bit fuzzy. Sookie remembered thinking that she didn't want to trip, and that she'd felt better when she'd spotted Jackson. She took her place beside Rory, watching in wonder as Lorelai drifted down the aisle, her eyes on Luke and Luke alone. The tears started then and didn't stop until long after the wedding.

Sookie's romantic sensibilities were on high alert as the ceremony progressed. She had to bite her lip to keep from squealing as Luke and Lorelai exchanged vows that made her want to melt. She couldn't help gushing a little when the pair kissed passionately at the end, and she wasn't the only one. The church practically erupted at the scene. In fact, the only person who didn't seem to be affected by it was Taylor, who appeared to be agitated. No doubt he was mere seconds away from spouting a series of nonsensical town ordinances regarding public displays of affection.

The bride and groom were completely oblivious to the mayhem around them and Sookie was almost disappointed when they finally broke the kiss and exited the church. That didn't stop her from grinning from ear to ear as she followed them down the aisle. Never in her life had she been more excited for two people than she was for them. They were going to have an amazing life together. She just knew it.

xxxxx

Rory crept into her mother's room early in the morning and sat on the bed to watch her sleep. She was so glad that her mother was marrying Luke, but she couldn't help feeling a little sad that it would no longer be just the two of them. It had been that way for so long that Rory could barely fathom any other reality. Still, if anyone had to take that place, she was thrilled it was Luke. Actually, when it came down to it, he was already a part of their family and had been for years. The realization made Rory feel a bit better.

She curled up beside her mother and closed her eyes, enjoying these final few moments alone with her. Soon the whole town would be descending upon them as they geared up for what was being touted as the 'social event of the season'. Lorelai stirred, turning to face Rory. They shared a silent moment of understanding as they both relived the years they'd had together.

Rory rested her hand on Lorelai's stomach and grinned, acknowledging the new lives that would soon bring even more love into their household. She whispered her love to them, smiling encouragingly at her mom, as though signifying that she was ready to embark on this new phase of their lives. Lorelai seemed to understand, and mother and daughter slowly began to get ready for the day.

They were the first to arrive at the church, but the building quickly began to fill with people. Before she knew it, Rory was standing at the altar waiting for her mother to appear in the doorway at the back of the church. She heard Luke's breath hitch as the doors opened, and he caught his first sight of Lorelai. Rory felt equally awed; she really had never seen her mother look so beautiful and so happy before.

Rory managed to keep her eyes dry up until the vows. She'd known that her mother and Luke were in love, but hearing them confess such deep, raw feelings in public caused Rory to lose her resolve, and salty tears ran openly down her face. She watched them kiss, and still the tears flowed, leaving her a blubbering mess, but she didn't care. Luke was a part of the family now and the thought made her positively giddy. This new life of theirs was going to be amazing. She couldn't wait for the adventure to begin.

xxxxx

Lorelai placed her hand on her stomach, recalling the moment she'd had with Rory at home that morning. She was excited about the changes that were rapidly occurring in her life, and yet, they frightened her. It had always been just the two of them, and a new reality seemed almost unfathomable. But now, here she was, mere minutes away from marrying the love of her life, who also happened to be the father of the twins she was carrying within her womb.

Rory came up behind her placing her hand over Lorelai's, in silent reassurance that these particular changes were good and they were all right with her. Lorelai pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, marvelling at how Rory always seemed to know what she needed. She kissed the top of her head and released her, returning to the last minute makeup touch-ups.

Her nerves returned as she approached her father outside the church doors a short while later. The loving look he gave her dissolved her fears and she took his outstretched arm. Her heart beat wildly inside her chest as she began to move down the aisle. There was Luke, looking more handsome than ever in his dark suit, standing there, staring at her as though she was the only being in the entire universe. Her heart rate sped up even further and she wanted to race forward, throwing herself into his strong, loving arms.

Instead, she continued to walk, her eyes never leaving Luke. Richard kissed her on the cheek and left her standing there with Luke. Their eyes met, and the rest of the world melted away. They joined hands, staring at each other as the ceremony commenced.

Lorelai felt tears spring to her eyes as Luke confessed the depths his feelings for her in front of the whole town. When it was her turn, she felt her voice wobbling as she tried to communicate just how much she loved him. Once she got started, the words kept coming. She told him how he was her rock and her best friend, how he had always been there exactly when she needed him and never ever let her down. She vowed to always be there for him, to love him no matter what, and to grow old with him. She was sobbing by the time she finished, and she felt a desperate desire to touch him. Sensing her need, Luke took her hand again, squeezing gently, calming her almost instantly.

Not long after that, they were finally able to kiss, and Lorelai met his lips with eager abandon. She allowed her emotions to flow into the kiss, confirming without a doubt, all the words she'd spoken before. She loved this man, with all her heart, soul and mind.

_TBC_


	6. Receptions and Revelations

**A/N: **Once again, real life has interfered with my writing time, but here at last is the next chapter. Now that I'm finally on summer vacation, I'm hoping I can get back to a regular posting schedule. No promises, but I'll try my best.

Special thanks to **Jewels12** for always doing 'that thing you do' so very, very well. The title credit goes to her 100%.

**Receptions and Revelations**

Lorelai and Luke wove their way through the crowded room, reluctantly greeting eager guests and shaking many hands along the way. After what seemed like hours, they reached their table and Lorelai sighed as she sank into her seat between Luke and Rory. "Food. Gimme. Starving," she demanded.

"We haven't been served yet," Rory informed her apologetically. "You could have some veggies while you wait." She gestured to the crowded plate in the centre of the table.

Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "But you know I don't eat such things," she whined.

Luke rolled his eyes and reached for a carrot. He took a bite and chewed, with a resounding crunch. "Vegetables won't kill you, you know."

"That's what you think." Lorelai poked at a piece of celery with her fork. It bounced slightly and she shuddered, dropping her fork. She turned her attention instead, to the wine glass in front of her that was filled with yellow liquid.

Rory followed her gaze and leaned in. "Apple juice," she whispered. "I got here early and filled it before anyone could notice."

"Good thinking." Lorelai grinned at her daughter. "Have I told you how brilliant you are?"

"Not recently..." Rory trailed off as she noticed a waiter approaching their table with plates. "Oooh, dinner!"

Lorelai's head shot up. "Dinner? Where?" She spotted the waiter and nearly mauled him in an attempt to grasp one of the plates.

Luke restrained her. "For heaven's sake, will you calm down? You're scaring poor Pedro here." The waiter shot him a grateful glance as he hastily set the plates before Lorelai and Rory and scampered away.

Lorelai wriggled out of Luke's grasp and promptly began to shovel pasta into her mouth, barely bothering to chew. "Slow down, Mom." Rory shared a disgusted look with Luke. "You'd think she'd never seen food before."

"No kidding. Remind me again why I married her," he joked, biting his lip to prevent himself from laughing at the indignant expression on Lorelai's face.

"Because you love her, despite her flair for dramatics and her desire for strong, caffeinated beverages," Rory responded, taking a bite of her meal.

"Oh, that's right." He leaned over and kissed Lorelai's temple gently. "Guess I have to keep her then." His food arrived and he thanked the waiter.

Rory nodded sombrely. "That would be wise, otherwise she might bite you in her sleep."

Lorelai swallowed a particularly large mouthful of food and joined the conversation. "It's too late for that." She winked at Luke suggestively.

"Ewwww." Rory covered her ears. "La, la, la, la, la... I'm not listening to this."

Lorelai laughed heartily. "You're so easy," she told her daughter before returning her attention to her food.

xxxxx

After dinner, things were a bit of blur for Luke and Lorelai. Everywhere they went, people seemed to surround them, wanting to congratulate them, to talk to them, to be near them. Luke wondered if this was how celebrities felt, never getting a moment of peace. He was actually relieved when Kirk - who had insisted on being their DJ, whether they paid him or not - announced that it was time for the first dance.

Luke placed his hand in Lorelai's and gently pulled her away from the clutches of Patty and Babette. They reached the dance floor and Luke drew her close, one hand on her waist, the other holding hers. Lorelai smiled up at him and placed her free hand on his shoulder. They were standing so close that she could feel his warm breath against her cheek.

"Hi," she whispered, starting to sway to the sound of the music.

Luke smiled. "Hi." He began to lead her, waltzing to the familiar melody that had been playing the very first time they'd danced together at Liz and TJ's wedding.

"It's hard to believe that it's been over a year since our first dance." She gazed into his eyes as they continued to move in tandem, their feet in perfect rhythm with the music.

"You looked just as beautiful then, as you did the first day I met you," Luke told her, releasing his hold for a moment to allow her to spin.

She returned to his arms, a slight gleam in her eye. "Did I? I thought I was looking particularly spectacular at that wedding. I wanted you to notice me."

Luke groaned, a deep, guttural sound that caused Lorelai's stomach to flutter. "I noticed you, all right. I noticed you every day since the day you walked into my diner babbling nonsense about coffee. You're rather difficult to ignore," he teased.

Lorelai hit his upper arm playfully. "Hey! Be nice, husband, I'm your wife now."

Luke grinned broadly and pressed her body to his. "You are indeed." He dipped his head, and brushed her lips in a lingering kiss. "I love you, Lorelai Gilmore," he breathed when he pulled away.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Luke frowned slightly, perplexed by her response. "For what?"

"For not ignoring me. For not giving up on me. For finally asking me out." She took a deep breath and continued, words tumbling from her mouth in rapid succession, "A part of me had always wanted that, wanted this." She gestured to the decorated town square, filled with their family and friends. "Wanted you," she added in a lower, more suggestive tone. "But something held me back; I don't know what it was, fear maybe? Fear that I'd mess it up, the way I seemed to mess up every relationship I'd ever been in. Fear that I'd lose you, that Rory would lose you. Fear that you didn't feel the same way and I'd get my heart broken. Because, Luke, you've held my heart for a very long time, I just didn't realize it." She stopped, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

Luke tenderly kissed her tears away and pulled her into a tight hug. The waltz had ended and a new song was playing. Other people had joined them on the dance floor and no one seemed to notice that the bride and groom had stopped dancing. Luke rested his chin on the top of her head as he held her. "I promise never to break your heart, Lorelai."

Lorelai shifted so she could see his face. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, Luke Danes. I love you." She placed her hands firmly on his cheeks and brought his lips to hers in a sizzling kiss that caught the attention of their party guests.

They both blushed slightly at the hoots and cheers that greeted them as they resurfaced. Lorelai's embarrassment gave way to laughter. This really was shaping up to be the best day of her life.

xxxxx

Half an hour later, Luke and Lorelai were enjoying a moment of solitude in the gazebo when Emily and Richard approached.

Richard cleared his throat. "We'd like a word, if that's all right."

Lorelai stiffened, eyeing her parents warily. Luke rubbed her back reassuringly and she relaxed, leaning against him slightly as he addressed her parents, "Sure. Please, have a seat." Luke indicated the bench beside them.

Once Emily and Richard were settled, Lorelai spoke, "What's this all about, Mom? Dad?"

"We wanted to give you your wedding present in person," Emily explained.

Richard pulled a large, white envelope out of the inner pocket of his suit and offered it to them. "It's a bit of a time-sensitive matter."

Lorelai and Luke exchanged a confused look before accepting the envelope from Richard. Luke opened it carefully, pulled out a handful of photographs and handed them to Lorelai. The first picture featured a beautiful, Victorian-style house. It was painted white, with green trim and had large, modern windows and a hand-crafted, wrap-around porch. The second picture showed a expansive, green lawn, dotted with fruit trees. There was a small pond, complete with lily pads in the next picture; and the final photograph showed a large wooden structure that looked like a barn.

Lorelai lowered the photos and fixed her parents with a questioning gaze.

"Now, before you get your nose out of joint and accuse us of interfering, hear us out," Emily began. "We know that you and Luke have been looking for a new house and that you haven't found anything you like yet. We also know that buying a house is something you want to do on your own. But we know you've been busy with the wedding and with the twins coming, so we decided to keep looking, just in case something good came up. Our Realtor found this place just last week. We've been to see it, and we think it would be perfect for the two of you."

Richard continued, "It's on the outskirts of Stars Hollow and this is only the second time that this house has been on the market in 100 years. It's got five bedrooms, four and a half baths, with a library, and a sun porch. It's on three acres with a very small fishing hole, which is really a little pond, but it's very charming, and it has stables for horses. It's a sensible home, in good repair, with plenty of space for your growing family. It would be a very wise investment for the two of you."

Lorelai and Luke gaped at them, stunned. "You want to buy us a house?" Lorelai asked incredulously.

"We'd like to _help_ you buy a house," Emily corrected. "We know you won't let us buy it for you outright, but we're willing to help you in any way that we can. Because it is such a great place, we've already put in an offer for you, to secure it, but we can withdraw our offer if you don't want the house."

"We went ahead and set up an appointment for you to look at the house tomorrow morning at eleven," Richard told them. "You probably want to see it before you make your decision, but there is another couple interested in it, so we do need to know either way, before you leave for your honeymoon."

Luke nodded. "Of course." He glanced at Lorelai who was staring attentively at the photograph of the house again. "Is that okay with you?"

Lorelai blinked, and looked up. "It's fine." She smiled at her parents. "You're right. This place looks perfect for us. I've always wanted to be able to keep horses, and the stables look big enough that we could make a workshop for Luke. I can't wait to see what it looks like inside. Thank you for finding it for us." Lorelai gave each of her parents a big hug. "Really, thank you."

It was Emily and Richard's turn to look stunned. They had expected more resistance from both of them, and were happily surprised by Lorelai's response.

"You're not mad?" Emily asked, wide-eyed.

Lorelai laughed. "Not mad at all."

"It's a very generous and thoughtful gift, Emily. Thank you," Luke said, taking Lorelai's hand. "We'll give you a call to discuss details after we've seen it tomorrow."

"Excellent." Richard smiled. "It looks as though you are being summoned." He gestured to Sookie who was waving at them frantically with what appeared to be a knife in her hand.

"Oooh, I think it's time for cake. Come on, Luke, I get to feed you." She raced down the stairs, tugging Luke after her.

"You are _not_ smashing anything in my face," he grumbled.

"Humph! Spoil sport," Lorelai accused, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Trouble maker," he retorted, as they arrived at the cake table.

Lorelai grinned. "Always."

xxxxx

Sookie's cake was, of course, delicious. Lorelai had thoroughly enjoyed feeding cake to Luke, despite the fact that she had to do it the polite, old fashioned way. Everyone had returned to their seats after that, and Lorelai had quickly filled Rory and Sookie in on the gift from Emily and Richard. Rory flipped through the pictures about ten times, noticing new details every time.

"Can I come look at it with you?" she asked.

"Of course you can," Luke told her. "It'll be your house too, if we buy it; you should have a say."

His answer had induced a squeal from Rory and she flipped through the pictures an eleventh time.

Sookie had also been thrilled by the news, practically vibrating with elation. She loved the idea of Luke and Lorelai having a nice, big home to raise their family in.

"This way, you have space if you want more kids," she informed Lorelai.

"More? Twins isn't enough for you?" Lorelai asked.

"You and Luke are going to make beautiful babies, you should make as many as you can," Sookie squeaked happily.

Luke choked on his water. "Slow down, Sookie. Let's see how we handle these two first." He rubbed Lorelai's tummy lovingly.

Lorelai laughed. "You're crazy, you know that?" she told her friend fondly.

"What? I just want you to be happy." Sookie frowned, her eyes darting to the corner. "What is Taylor doing?"

Luke, Lorelai and Rory followed her gaze to the temporary stage that had been set up next to the gazebo. Taylor was standing at the microphone, yammering on about how Luke and Lorelai were the perfect couple and he'd always known that they would be great for each other.

"Are you kidding me?" Lorelai asked furiously. "Taylor is the one who drew up those charts about who'd take whose side if we broke up. And now he's taking credit for getting us together?"

"I'll handle this," Luke growled. He stormed over to Taylor and yanked the microphone from his hand.

"Luke, I was just..." Taylor began, backing away from Luke.

"Spouting propaganda that isn't true? We haven't forgotten your pathetic, pink and blue ribbons, you know."

"I was only..."

"Announcing the _real_ speeches? Thank you, but Kirk is our MC for the evening." He handed the microphone to a startled looking Kirk as Taylor scuttled off, eager to avoid angering Luke any further.

Luke returned to his seat and promptly groaned as Kirk called TJ to the microphone. "Maybe I should have let Taylor keep talking. Who told TJ he could give a speech?"

"You did, when you made him a groomsman." Lorelai patted his arm consolingly.

"Only because Liz guilted me into it," he grumbled.

"Cheer up, at least this is bound to be entertaining."

She was not wrong. Soon Lorelai was laughing as TJ fumbled his way through an inappropriate speech that alluded to Liz and TJ's sex life far more frequently than anyone needed to hear. Luke was horrified at first, but he soon realized that TJ was only embarrassing himself and he relaxed, letting it go.

TJ's speech was followed by a more sombre one from Jess, in which he thanked his uncle publicly for taking him in and trying so hard to set him on the right path. He praised Luke's taste in women and expressed how happy he was for both of them. Luke wouldn't admit it afterwards, but Lorelai was certain his eyes had filled with unshed tears.

Rory was next, with an elegantly written speech detailing her relationship with her mother and Luke. She spoke of how she saw the love blossoming between them and how happy she was that they had finally found their path to one another. She ended the speech by saying that Luke had always been like a father to her, and she was glad that it was finally official.

Luke swiped a tear from his eye as Lorelai took his hand and squeezed it gently. They both hugged Rory when she returned to the table, blinking back tears of her own.

"Thank you," Luke said softly. "You've always been like a daughter to me, I'm so glad you feel the same way."

"You're welcome, Luke. You're a great dad. The twins are going to be so lucky to have you as their father from birth." She hugged him again and then sat down to listen to Sookie's speech.

Sookie started with her friendship with Lorelai, detailing their years at the Independence Inn together and how she had watched Lorelai grow up with Rory. She talked about the many times she'd pointed out Luke's interest to Lorelai and Lorelai had denied it, brushing it off. Sookie continued, expressing her supreme happiness when they had finally started dating and how thrilled she was for them, now that they were married and starting a family.

"And now you'll have a big, beautiful house to raise those twins of yours in," Sookie gushed, oblivious to the gasps of shock that were filtering through the audience.

Luke and Lorelai froze, as all eyes turned to them, Sookie's speech long forgotten. There was a moment of stunned silence, and then pandemonium broke out.

Everyone was talking at once. Babette and Miss Patty were whooping with glee, shouting their congratulations and approval. Kirk was trying to work out the significance of Sookie's announcement and was panicking that this meant that Luke and Lorelai were buying the Twickham house after all. Taylor was spouting facts and figures about taxes and baby bonuses and needing to update the sign that stated the population of Stars Hollow.

Amid the chaos, a miserable Sookie wove her way back to the table and slumped into her chair. "I'm so sorry, Lorelai, I was so nervous and it just kinda slipped out."

"It's okay," Luke told her, "They had to find out eventually."

"Besides," Lorelai added, "At least this way it makes for a memorable story."

_TBC_


	7. Our House, Is a Very, Very, Very, Fine H

A/N: The title of this chapter, suggested by Jewels12, comes from a song by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Thank you Jewels for the beta. Your suggestions always make my writing better.

**Our House, Is a Very, Very, Very Fine House**

A ray of sunlight danced across her creamy expanse of skin as Lorelai slept. Luke awoke beside her, his arm draped loosely around her waist. He tightened his grip, moving himself closer to her as he leaned in and kissed her shoulder where the light was glistening. She stirred, emitting a soft moan. Luke's breath caught, struck by how much he loved everything about her, even the sounds she made. He continued to kiss his way along her shoulder, his heartbeat thumping wildly within his chest as she began to wake up, squirming against him.

He came to the delicate skin at the base of her neck and he nuzzled her, grinning as he felt the tremor that ran through her body. He continued to kiss her smooth skin, meandering his way to her ear. He blew softly, barely giving her time to shudder at the sensation, before drawing the ear between his lips and suckling gently.

She groaned, wriggling her body so she was facing him. She cast him a lazy smile, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of satisfaction from the night before, and lust from his actions this morning. She traced her thumb over his jaw-line, pausing as it brushed against the corner of his mouth. Without thinking about it, or planning it, she closed the distance between them, capturing his lips with hers.

Luke wound his arms around her and spun them so she was lying on her back, her long hair - still curly from their wedding the day before - sprawled across the pillow. He kissed her hungrily, devouring every inch of her mouth that he could reach with his tongue. Lorelai grazed her teeth along his bottom lip, and she felt it swell slightly as she sucked it.

The phone rang and Luke cursed, reluctantly releasing his grip on his wife to roll to the edge of the bed and answer the phone. He instantly wished he hadn't answered it, when he was greeted by the annoying and sarcastic tones of Michel's voice, babbling nonsense about bookings and sticky notes. Luke grumbled, irritated at the French man's knack for interrupting them at exactly the wrong time. He tossed the phone to Lorelai and took his watch off the bedside table. He noted the time, realizing with dismay that they had to be at the realtor's office in twenty minutes. Sighing, he swung himself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. A cold shower would have to do.

xxxxx

It was nothing short of a miracle that Lorelai and Luke arrived at the real estate office only ten minutes late. They had actually been ready to leave in time, but as soon as they had descended the stairs of the Dragonfly, Michel and Sookie had cornered them, both demanding Lorelai's immediate attention over some sort of dispute. Lorelai had handled it as quickly as possible and they made a hasty escape, vowing that next time, they'd stay at someone else's inn.

Emily and Richard were already seated in the waiting room when Luke and Lorelai entered.

"There you are," Emily said impatiently. "You're late."

Lorelai sighed. "I'm sorry, Mom. We got held up by an issue at the inn. We're here now."

Before Emily could respond, a blond woman, with short hair that clung to her head in tight curls, approached them. She held her hand out to Lorelai, her perfectly manicured nails painted a bright shade of pink that matched the jacket she was wearing. "You must be Lorelai," she said politely, shaking Lorelai's hand. She turned to Luke. "And you would be the lucky groom?"

"Luke Danes." He took the offered hand and shook it firmly.

"Excellent. I'm Kirsteen. Let me just grab the keys and we can get going. You're going to love this property. It's a real find, trust me." She dashed off, returning a moment later with the keys. "Let's go."

They followed Kirsteen out to the parking lot where a stylish, black sedan with the logo of the real estate agency painted on it, was waiting for them. Luke and Lorelai climbed into the back of the vehicle, expecting that Emily or Richard would take the front. Much to their surprise, Emily and Richard walked to their own vehicle instead.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Lorelai called to them.

"Oh, no," Richard told her, "We've already seen it and we don't want to influence your decision."

"We were only here to take care of some paperwork before hand," Emily added, upon seeing Lorelai's sceptical expression.

Richard held the passenger door open for his wife. "Give us a call once you've made up your mind." He sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. "Good luck."

xxxxx

Ten minutes later, Kirsteen drove down a small country road. The street was edged with cherry blossom trees, creating a beautiful, pink and white arbor. There were only four properties on the street, each marked with a mailbox and an endlessly long driveway. They turned into the last driveway on the right. At first, all they could see were lush fruit trees. Then they came over a small hill, and suddenly, the whole scope of the property was visible.

The house sat at the top of the long driveway. To the right, Lorelai spotted a structure that she recognized as being the stables.

"Look, Luke, you'll be able to teach Jack and Jill here how to fish in our own back yard." She pointed to a gleaming area in the distance where the sun was reflecting off of the water in the pond.

Luke narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't you mean, I'll be able to teach them how to put a line in the water without any hooks, so we don't hurt the fish that you'll inevitably name within the first three minutes of us living here?"

Lorelai laughed. "Of course that's what I meant." She took his hand and pulled him to the front porch where Kirsteen was waiting. "Come on, let's see what it looks like inside."

As they climbed the steps, Luke bounced slightly, testing the quality of the wood. Satisfied, he followed Lorelai and the realtor through the front door.

To his right, was a spiral staircase that lead up to the second storey. The railing was stained a deep, reddish-brown, and looked as though it had been crafted by hand. Below the staircase, double French doors led to a brightly lit room lined with shelves. The ceiling was tapered, following the incline of the staircase above it, resulting in taller bookcases at the far end of the room. These book cases had a ladder attached so that you could climb up to reach the books on the top shelves.

Lorelai's eyes lit up as she surveyed this impressive library. "Wow. Rory would love this. And there's enough room in the centre here that we could both have a work area, as well as plenty of comfy chairs for reading."

At the mention of Rory, Luke frowned. "Where _is_ Rory? Wasn't she going to join us?"

"Oh, you're right. In all the craziness at the inn, I completely forgot." She pulled out her cell phone. "I'll call her right now."

Just as she punched in the number, there was a knock at the door and Rory's voice called out, "Hello?"

Lorelai put her phone away and bounded to the door to greet her daughter. "Are your ears burning? We were just talking about you."

Rory laughed and gave her mother a quick hug before following her into the library. "Hi, Luke," she said brightly. "Sorry I'm late. I got held up at work and I arrived at the real estate office just after you left. I had to call Grandma to get directions." She looked up, noticing her surroundings for the first time. "Oh my God. Mom, this room is amazing! We'd have room for _all_ of our books, plus the ones I keep finding at the book shop when I work for Andrew." Rory ran over to the ladder, climbing up a few steps and running her hand over one of the shelves, a dreamy expression stamped over her features.

"See?" Lorelai told Luke, "I knew she'd love it."

Luke didn't bother answering. Kirsteen was urging them into the next room and he guided Lorelai back through the double doors.

"As you can tell, the house has been modernized and renovated over the years, though the original style and the integrity of the design has been kept intact," Kirsteen was saying when Rory joined them.

She showed them the living room next. It was a large, open space with a fire place and plenty of room for their furniture. A curved archway led from the living room to the dining area, which in turn, flowed into the kitchen.

The kitchen was large and newly updated, with dark wooden cabinets and ample counter space that jutted out into an island on one end. A sliding glass door near the eating area, opened onto the side deck, offering a gorgeous view of the pond and garden. Across from the kitchen, and next to the library, was a spacious utility and laundry room, complete with a built-in ironing board, a sink, and even a rod for hanging clothing to dry. Beside this, was the first of the four and a half bathrooms and Lorelai was quick to make use of it before they continued their tour on the second level.

High windows surrounded the spiral staircase, filling the room with light and casting shadows as they walked past. The second floor featured a long hallway that was painted bright aquamarine blue.

Luke caught the looks of disgust and horror that Lorelai and Rory exchanged. "We can paint it," he muttered.

Lorelai's eyes lit up. "Oooooh. I love painting."

Luke fought to keep a straight face. "I know you do. But you wouldn't be doing the painting."

The pout was instantaneous. "But I _want_ to paint," Lorelai whined.

"Yes. But paint fumes are bad for babies. I'll do the painting."

Lorelai stopped walking. "You? You _hate_ painting."

"I do, but I don't mind painting if it's for you." He shrugged. "Besides, I'm sure I can rope someone into helping me."

"Who, TJ?" Lorelai teased.

Luke groaned. "I was thinking more along the lines of Jackson, or maybe even Kirk. TJ would probably paint it neon pink by mistake."

"I'll help," Rory volunteered.

The both gaped at her. "You?" Lorelai said, stunned.

"Sure, why not? I'm a much safer option than Kirk."

"Very true, but you loathe physical exertion."

"I do not. Just because I haven't done it before, doesn't mean I don't like painting. Besides, like Luke said, it's for you."

Lorelai blinked. "Wow. Okay, but don't come moaning and groaning to me about your arm being sore."

"Fine, fine." Rory rolled her eyes. "Anyway, you haven't even bought the house yet. Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves? Shouldn't you at least see the bedrooms?"

"Rory, my ever-practical daughter. What would we ever do without you?"

"You'd be bored, I'm sure," Rory said as she followed Kirsteen into the first bedroom on the right, leaving Luke and Lorelai to trail behind her.

The upstairs was just as nice as the main floor. Much to Lorelai's delight, the master bedroom had a massive, walk-in closet, complete with a shoe rack. The en suite bathroom was impressive, featuring both a large, Jacuzzi tub _and _a shower. Luke couldn't help casting a heated glance at Lorelai as he thought of the many ways they could put the room to use. She returned his gaze and held it for a moment before forcing herself to look away and move on to the next room, lest she jump him right then and there.

The room across the hall from the master bedroom, was Lorelai's favourite. It was painted pale yellow, with white wainscoting along the bottom portion of the walls. The large, bay window overlooked the front yard, the view stretching beyond the orchard so that you could see the very tops of the houses in the centre of Stars Hollow. Built in front of the window, was a window seat, covered with a plush, colourful cushion.

Lorelai spun around to face Luke. "I love it," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "This room would be _perfect _for the babies. Don't you think?"

Luke nodded, picturing the room furnished with a large changing table, and two matching cribs. She was right; this room was going to make a great nursery.

There were two other bedrooms on the second floor, both of which were also a good size, and featured hardwood floors and large windows. In addition, there were two more bathrooms, which Rory was rather excited about.

"I'll never have to share a bathroom with you again, Mom," she said gleefully.

Lorelai feigned hurt. "Gee, thanks. Glad to know you love me so much."

"Oh, I love you. I don't love sharing a bathroom. She's a bit of a bathroom hog," Rory informed Luke.

"I knew that long before we started dating." Luke playfully jabbed Lorelai's side. "She's a lot of work, this one."

Rory laughed. "Believe me, I know."

"Hey!" Lorelai cried. "No fair ganging up on the innocent, helpless, pregnant lady."

The realtor was still talking, explaining the various renovations that had taken place in the past year and directing them to a door at the very end of the hallway. "This leads to the fifth, and final bedroom," she told them, as she opened the door and started to climb the somewhat rickety stairs. "The attic was converted in 1925 when the original family grew in numbers. It was renovated about ten years ago by the last family, and a bathroom was added at that time so that it could be used as a guest room." She stepped onto the landing and moved into the room.

Rory was the next to reach the top and she instantly gasped. "Wow. This is amazing." The room was enormous, spanning the length of the whole house. There were windows on all four walls of the room, flooding the space with natural light. A bay window, almost identical to the one in the nursery, was located near one side of the room and also contained a window seat. The full bathroom was built onto the back corner of the room and beside that was an expansive closet.

Rory turned to her mother and Luke just as they arrived on the landing. "Can this be my room? I love it."

Lorelai and Luke smiled at each other, amused by Rory's enthusiasm. "I don't see why not," Lorelai replied. "It suits you. That is..." she cast a glance at Kirsteen and whispered, "_if_ we buy it."

Kirsteen began to descend the stairs. "I'll meet you all at the barn. I need to make a phone call."

"Okay, thank you," Luke said, grateful to her for giving them some privacy to discuss the house.

"How could you not buy it? It's incredible," Rory exclaimed, once Kirsteen was gone.

"It is a pretty amazing house," Luke admitted, walking closer to the centre of the room, where Lorelai and Rory were standing. He placed his hand on Lorelai's shoulder. "I know you don't really want to leave your house, but it's already cramped, and with two more family members on the way, we'll be tripping over each other."

Lorelai sighed. "You're right; I know you are. And this place _is _amazing, but..." Lorelai choked on a sob and Luke pulled her into a comforting hug. Rory sensed their need for privacy and wordlessly slipped down the stairs.

"We could always keep the old house and rent it out. Maybe give it to Rory one day," he suggested.

Lorelai perked up. "Really? That's an excellent idea. I think she'd really like that."

"That's what we'll do then," Luke assured her.

Lorelai smiled and surveyed the room again. "So, we're going to buy this house. Are you sure? What about the Twickham house?"

"This house suits us better and has even more character than the Twickam house. I can picture our future here. It really is perfect. Emily and Richard chose well."

Lorelai smiled wanly. "They did, didn't they? Maybe they know us better than I thought."

"You know, I think you may be right about that." Luke took her hand and led her to the stairs. "Let's go tell Kirsteen."

Together they walked back through the house, _their_ house, each imagining the many happy years ahead of them in this space.

_TBC_


	8. Geometry is the Spice of Life

_**A/N: **_Wow. Chapter 8 is here. I only 4 chapters to go on this section of the saga. Hope you're all enjoying it despite the delays.

**Jewels** gets full credit for the title of this chapter. As always, thank you for being the best beta in the world! :)

_**Geometry is the Spice of Life**_

Rory stared intently at her computer screen, trying to figure out if she needed to add anything else to her article on multiple pregnancies. She reread her conclusion for a fourth time and smiled, pleased with the angle she'd come up with on how families with multiples coped with the day-to-day challenges of raising them. Sure, she'd included all the scientific facts about the probability of multiple births and how they occur, but she'd wanted more; something that would really tug at the hearts of her readers. Satisfied, Rory corrected one last typo, saved and clicked on the print button.

A few feet away, the large, office printer began to whir. Rory stood, stretching her back before walking toward the printer. En route, she glanced over at Jeffrey who was typing rapidly on his keyboard. She paused, suddenly realizing that he was once again wearing the same clothes as he had the day before. His hair was ragged and wild looking, and he appeared exhausted.

Her reporter curiosity kicked in, and Rory couldn't help but wonder what exactly was going on. Until recently, Jeffrey had always been very put together. Sure, he had _horrid_ taste in clothing - his current outfit of orange khaki's and red t-shirt being no exception - but he'd always been clean, and well groomed, and he never wore the same thing twice.

Jeffrey must have sensed her stare, because he turned his steely gaze on her. "Is there a problem?" he growled.

Rory jumped involuntarily at the low and unfriendly tone of his voice. "No. No problem," she squeaked, taking her story off the printer. "Just printing my story."

"You're finished already?" His expression changed slightly. For the first time, he seemed to be impressed with Rory on some level. "Let me see that." He reached for the papers, but Rory quickly hugged them to her chest.

"No. Not until your story is finished too. That was the deal."

Jeffrey laughed. "That's true, it was." Rory had never heard him laugh before, and she was surprised to discover that his laugh had a nice ringing quality as opposed to the gruff, harsh sound she'd expected.

"Can't have you copying me. You might steal my angle," Rory joked lightly, worrying only slightly that her comment would upset him.

To her amazement, he joked back, "Well, I was never very good at geometry."

Rory chuckled. It was a bit of a lame joke, but it wasn't _too_ bad. And it was certainly a refreshing change to him biting her head off all the time. She slid back into her seat, marvelling at this sudden banter between them. She decided to test the waters, and take it a bit further. "Then I guess you better find yourself a protractor and finish that story."

He laughed again, more heartily this time, and turned his attention back to his computer.

xxxxx

Rory returned to the empty Crap Shack that night with a slight spring in her step. Her work day had been pleasant. The banter with Jeffrey had continued throughout the day, culminating in the moment where they'd finally swapped stories. His story had been better than she'd expected, very scientific, with lots of facts and details and a few theories thrown in the mix. It was well written, of course, but she felt it was missing the human element. He had been impressed with her story, and had shocked her by complimenting her on the emotion and heart in her story. His only complaint had been that there weren't enough facts.

Although the original plan had been for them to each submit their story and let the editor choose which one to publish, their discussion at the end of the day had resulted in the decision to combine their stories and use the strongest elements from each one. Before they left, they'd agreed that they'd rewrite it together the next day, and Rory was reminded of how she and Paris had once had to amalgamate their speeches for a competition at Chilton.

The house was eerily quiet as she entered. The phone rang and she answered it quickly, heading toward her room as she talked.

"Rory!" Lorelai squealed excitedly.

"Mom!" Rory grinned and flopped onto her bed. She hadn't spoken to her mom since she and Luke had left on their honeymoon the week before.

"I've missed you, babe."

"I miss you too. Are you and Luke having a good time?"

"We're having an awesome time. New Zealand is beautiful... So is _my husband,_ for that matter."

Rory could hear him muttering in the background and she laughed. "What did he say?"

"Oh, ignore him. He thinks I got us lost."

"You're lost?"

"No, we're not."

"Where are you?"

"We're... here. There's a hill up there. And a mountain, and a stream."

"You don't know where you are, do you?"

Lorelai sighed. "No. We're supposed to be going on some kind of nature hike."

"You? A nature hike?" Rory giggled. "How are you even calling me right now?"

"Pay phone. There's a pay phone in the middle of nowhere. How neat is that?"

"Maybe it's there so people like you, who get lost, can call for help," Rory suggested.

"Nah, where's the adventure in that?"

Rory rolled her eyes, even though her mother couldn't see her. "So, how do you like being married?"

"I loooooove it. Now Luke has to do what I tell him to, because I'm his wife."

"Really? I thought marriage was all about compromise and stuff."

"Eh, compromise is overrated. Anyway, have you heard from Grandma? Any word on the house?"

"Oh , oh, oh!" Rory squealed. "I can't believe I forgot to tell you. She called on Tuesday. The deal went through and the house is ours." She flapped her arms and bounced excitedly, nearly falling off the bed.

"Already?" Lorelai said, shocked. "But it's only been a week. Doesn't it take longer than that?"

"I think Grandpa pulled some strings. When I asked Grandma about the timing, she gave me some cryptic answer about how it pays to know people who know people."

"Wow. My parents are suddenly the Tony and Carmela Soprano of the real estate world."

"I know! Anyway, she said that you can take possession of the house as early as August 1st."

"August 1st? But that's barely a week away."

"It is. I got some boxes and I've already started packing up my room. Do you want me to start packing the kitchen or living room?"

"Yes, that would be great." Lorelai sounded distracted. "Luke's figured out where we are. I have to go. We'll see you at the airport on Saturday?"

"You bet. Have a good time, Mom. Luke too."

"I will. Love you, sweets."

"Love you too, Mom." She clicked the phone off and the house plummeted back into silence.

xxxxx

The next morning, Jeffrey was already at his desk when Rory arrived. He was wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt and Rory was relieved that she wouldn't have to squint to look at him today. His hair was still looking pretty ragged and the dark circles beneath his eyes were deeper than they had been. Rory was tempted to ask him if something was wrong, but she hesitated, given the tenuous friendship they seemed to be building. Instead she smiled and wished him good morning.

He looked up and returned her smile. "Good morning, Rory."

"Oh, so you _do _know my name."

"Of course I do. It's written on your desk." He pointed at her name plate.

"Cheater," she shot out, as she settled into her chair.

"I prefer to think of myself as smart." He picked up a stack of papers from his desk. "Should we get started? It would be great if we could get this to the boss by noon."

Rory nodded. "Sure."

Jeffrey brought his chair around to her desk and scooted in beside her so that they could both see the computer screen. They spent the next two hours discussing and reworking the article into a cohesive and detailed piece. When they were finished, they both read through it carefully, pouring over every word, every detail, every nuance. Finally, they were both satisfied.

"This is some excellent work, Gilmore. You've surprised me," Jeffrey told her plainly.

"I told you I could write."

"You did. I should have listened. I thought you got this job because you were a spoiled little rich girl with connections. I see now that I was wrong. You've got some real talent here." He held up the paper. "I'm sorry I've been such an ass."

"Oh, you weren't so bad."

He paused for a moment, deep in though. "Hmm, you're right. I wasn't bad at all. I take it back."

"No, no. I'm wrong. You were an ass," Rory countered, "But I'm happy to see that you aren't an ass all the time. We actually make a pretty good team." She gestured to the article.

"You're right. Let's take this to Stuart Wooles and see what the next assignment for Wynam and Gilmore is going to be."

"I think you mean Gilmore and Wynam," Rory corrected him as they headed down the hallway.

"Why should you get to go first?"

"Because 'G' comes before 'W' in the alphabet."

Jeffrey sighed, and held up his hands in surrender. "That damn alphabet, it gets me every time."

xxxxx

Saturday morning, Rory practically bounced out of bed. Her mother and Luke would be arriving home in a few short hours and she couldn't wait.

She made herself some coffee and grabbed an empty box from the hallway, filling it with the remnants of the lower kitchen cabinets. She'd been slowly packing up non-essential items after work every evening and there was now a pile of boxes neatly stacked in one corner of the kitchen.

Rory packed and sealed four more boxes before noticing the time. She had to leave for the airport in twenty minutes. She added her most recent box to the pile and raced upstairs, showering and getting dressed in record time.

When she arrived at the airport, Rory was relieved to find a parking space close to the entrance. She was a bit early, so she grabbed her book from the car, found a seat near the correct luggage carrel, and read while she waited.

She heard her mother before she saw her.

"But Luke, I _need _some coffee. There's a coffee cart over there, can't I just..."

"No," Luke said firmly, taking her arm and steering her toward Rory, who had put her book away and was waving at them. "Let's greet your daughter instead."

Lorelai stopped resisting, her face lighting up as she spotted her daughter. "Rory!" she squealed. Lorelai dropped her shoulder bag, narrowly missing Luke's foot, and began to run.

Rory was moving as well, her arms outstretched as she ran. "Mom!" She flung herself at her mother, hugging her tightly and laughing as they both began to lose their balance. Luke arrived just in time to steady them both, wincing at the excited squeaks emitting from their mouths.

"God, I've missed you, kid." Lorelai squeezed Rory a little tighter and kissed her forehead.

"I know what you mean. Oh, I have so much to tell you." Rory gave a little bounce as she released her mother and turned to embrace her new step-father. She smiled shyly as he hugged her back awkwardly. "Welcome home, Luke. I missed you too."

"You didn't miss me, you missed my coffee." He grinned at her meaningfully and she knew instinctively that he was only joking.

She laughed. "That's true. My coffee is nowhere near as good as yours."

Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "Ain't that the truth."

"Hey!" Rory admonished playfully. "It's not _that _bad."

"I just mean that no one makes coffee like Luke. Luke is the king of coffee." The three of them walked toward the luggage carrel which had finally begun to move, unceremoniously spewing out people's luggage.

Lorelai spotted her bag immediately. It was rather hard to miss, considering it was covered in black and white zebra stripes. "Aren't you glad I have such unique luggage?" she asked Luke, as she tried to heft it off the belt, nearly being pulled along with it when it didn't budge.

"Thrilled," Luke said monotonously. "Here, let me do that." He took the bag from her and easily lifted it off the belt. "Jeez, why is your bag always so damn heavy?"

"We've had this conversation three times already, Luke. I told you, weather is unpredictable. I need to be able to dress for any occasion."

Luke grumbled incoherently as he located his own bag and swung it onto his shoulder. Lorelai and Rory smirked, amused as always by Luke's curmudgeonly nature.

"Knock it off," he told them, which only reduced them to hysterical giggling as they followed him to the exit. Luke shook his head, a smile pursing his lips. His family was nuts, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

_TBC_


	9. Nostalgia Makes the Heart Grow Forlorn

_**A/N: **_Another Sunday, another chapter. Enjoy! :)

None of this would be possible without the continual support and assistance I get from my fabulous beta **Jewels12**. Once again, I thank you sincerely.

**Nostalgia Makes the Heart Grow Forlorn**

The next week was a frenzy of packing and paperwork. Lorelai tried to help with the packing, but her method of simply dumping things into boxes without any organization whatsoever had lead to a coup where Rory and Luke had banned her from the job. Instead, she was given the tedious task of labelling every box with its room and contents. When she started to whine about being bored, Luke finally banished her from the house, giving her a list of move and marriage related errands to do.

It was while Lorelai was on her way to the local social security office – which was really a bunch of forms located at the post office - to legally change her name, that she ran into a particularly gleeful Kirk.

"Good morning, Lorelai," he called as he approached her.

"Hey, Kirk!" she greeted him jovially, thinking she could use some entertainment. Moving was bor-ing. "You look like the cat that ate the canary."

Kirk looked puzzled, as though he was trying to work out what she meant. "I don't like birds," he finally replied. "Terrifying creatures."

"Ummm, it's just a saying, Kirk. You know, like, 'Cat got your tongue'."

"Oh." Kirk's confusion was still evident, so Lorelai decided to try a different tactic.

"I meant to say that you seem rather happy this morning."

Kirk brightened. "Oh, yes. I just got a call from Taylor. My offer to buy the Twickham house has been accepted. Lulu and I can finally have some privacy so that we don't have to worry about mother walking in on us when we're nak-"

"Good plan," Lorelai said quickly, unsuccessfully hiding her wince.

Luckily, Kirk was oblivious. "I just have to sign some papers and then it's ours. Taylor said he would leave them with Skip at the post office."

They entered the post office together. "Good luck with that, Kirk." Lorelai told him sincerely as she headed over to the wall to find the forms that she needed.

She filled out the forms, trying not to get distracted by Kirk and Skip. Skip had apparently misplaced the forms from Taylor, and Kirk was lecturing him about the best way to store important documents.

When she finished her task ten minutes later, they were still arguing, so she decided to intervene. "Why don't you just call Taylor and ask him to send over another copy?" she suggested.

"Oh, we found the form," Kirk informed her.

"Why are you still fighting then?"

"We're arguing about who would win in a fight. Superman, or The Hulk," Skip explained, shooting a glare at Kirk.

"My vote is for Superman. Any man who is confident enough to wear tights is a winner in my book," Lorelai told them.

Both men started at her, open-mouthed and silent. Finally, Skip reached for the sealed envelope she was holding. "Would you like me to mail that for you?"

Lorelai smiled. "Yes, please. Thank you so much, Skip." She handed him the document that would officially change her name to 'Mrs. Lorelai Victoria Gilmore Danes' and quickly exited the building.

xxxxx

Lorelai worked her way slowly through the list Luke had given her, taking her time, since she was in no hurry to return to the house. It wasn't just that packing was boring, it was that she couldn't bare to see her beloved home slowly becoming an empty shell. It had been hers, the house, hers and Rory's, and though she genuinely loved their new home, it still broke her heart to be leaving this one.

She walked across the square toward Kim's antiques, frowning when she saw Taylor duck behind a bush as though he was avoiding her. Deciding it would be best to ignore him, Lorelai kept going, not even sparing him a glance. She almost reconsidered her tactic when she heard him sigh with relief. The temptation to taunt him was incredibly strong. Luckily for Taylor, she spotted Sookie and Jackson across the street. She rushed over to them, pausing to kiss Martha on the cheek and ruffle Davey's hair.

"Lorelai, you're back!" Sookie immediately hugged her friend.

"Yeah, we got back on Saturday. We're moving on August 1st, so we've been packing. That's the reason I took this week off at the last minute. Didn't Michel tell you?"

"No. He walked into the kitchen, told me you weren't coming to work and walked away. No explanation. We really need a more reliable messaging service."

"You're not wrong. Threatening his job seems to have no affect on him." Lorelai sighed. She didn't want to talk about work anymore, so she turned her attention to the infant in the stroller and the toddler holding his father's hand. "Davey and Martha are _huge! _What are you feeding these kids?"

Sookie glanced at her children. "Are they? Maybe I'm feeding them too much. Davey is hungry _all _the time."

"I'm sure it's fine. He's probably just going through a growth spurt." Lorelai told her, relieved when the worry lines relaxed on Sookie's face.

"Where are you off to?" Jackson asked Lorelai, taking Sookie's hand and squeezing it gently.

"Kim's Antiques. We need a few items for the new house."

"Oh, how exciting." Sookie clapped her hands. "I can't wait to see this new house of yours."

"I promise we'll have you over as soon as we're settled in."

"Oh, we'll see it sooner than that," Jackson informed her.

Lorelai looked at him, puzzled. "You will?"

"Yes. Luke asked us to help with the move. He said something about not wanting you to be tempted to lift any heavy boxes."

"Oh, okay. " She smiled. "That sounds great." Martha began to fuss, letting them all know that she'd had enough of this being still and talking stuff. "I better let you go, but I guess I'll see you on Moving Day." She waved goodbye to her friends and continued her journey to Kim's Antiques.

xxxxx

Monday morning, Lorelai awoke abruptly when she heard a loud beeping sound coming from the yard. She groaned in protest and rolled toward Luke, but quickly discovered that his side of the bed was vacant. She pouted for a moment, stopping only when she realized what day it was. _Monday, August the first: Moving Day._ This would be the last time she'd ever wake up in this room, the last time she'd have breakfast in her kitchen, the last morning she could call the Crap Shack her home. She instantly felt tears spring to her eyes. The nostalgia and sadness she'd been feeling all week came to her in a rush of thoughts and images, and soon she was sobbing uncontrollably in deep heaving gulps that shook her whole body.

That was how Luke found her when he walked into the room a few minutes later. Instantly, he was at her side, rubbing her back and smoothing her hair. He held her to his chest as she grieved, whispering words of consolation in her ear until her crying ceased. She clung to him, her breathing still coming out in rapid gasps. "I know," he murmured. "I know."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and lifted her head. "I'm sorry, Luke. I _am _happy with our new home, I just..." her voice broke, and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

Luke swiped at the tears with his thumb. "I'll miss it too," he whispered.

That earned him a smile. "I know. Thank you, Luke." Her eyes swam with tears again. "Damn hormones keep making my eyes leak. I swear I'm happy."

"It's okay if you're not." He gave her a quick hug. "I came up here to tell you that the moving van is here. Rory's already started to load it, if you want to come down and be part of the action."

Lorelai nodded. "Thanks. I'm just going to have a quick shower, if that's okay."

"Of course." He planted a kiss on her forehead. "Take your time."

xxxxx

The move was incredibly smooth. Jackson and Sookie arrived soon after Lorelai came downstairs, and Jackson immediately began to help Luke and Rory with the loading of the truck. Sookie joined Lorelai at her post on the porch swing.

The two friends reminisced about all the good times they'd had in this house. When the discussion started to get too sad, Sookie invented a game where they came up with outlandish theories about the kinds of people who would possibly rent the house. Sookie had just made the terrifying suggestion that perhaps Kirk would want to rent the house, when Luke wandered over to announce that they were ready to go.

"Already?" Lorelai blinked at him. She'd expected the packing to take almost the whole day. She wasn't ready. She needed more time.

Sookie slid away, joining Jackson so Luke and Lorelai could have a moment alone.

"Everything is in the truck." He caught the sadness in her eyes and quickly switched to their familiar banter. "Even the ancient junk from the attic that you refuse to throw out."

"I might need it one day," she said, without much conviction.

"For what?" Luke narrowed his eyes, maintaining the illusion of banter.

Lorelai struggled to keep her voice light. "You know, stuff." She blinked back tears, unable to continue the ruse any longer. "Is it really empty?" she whispered.

Luke nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so."

"I want to see it," Lorelai declared.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Luke frowned.

He could barely hear her response. "I need to say goodbye."

Luke took her hand, squeezing it gently. "I understand. Would you like me to come with you?"

"Thank you, but no. I think this is something I need to do on my own."

Luke nodded and walked her to the door. He gave her a quick hug. "Take all the time you need."

xxxxx

Lorelai stood in the centre of the hollow space that had once been her living room. It pained her to see it looking so vacant. She dabbed at her eyes, remembering the elation she'd felt the day she'd signed the deed that made the house her own. She had worked hard for years, saving every penny possible in order to afford it, and even though it had been falling apart in places, she had been determined to give Rory a proper home.

Memories of movie nights, fights, tears and laughter flooded her mind as she surveyed her home one final time. She stood in silence for several minutes, lost in her reverie. Finally, she wiped her teary eyes and moved toward the porch. It was time to go, to move on to new memories and new stories in her new life with Luke.

Lorelai kissed her fingers and pressed them to the door frame as she passed. "Goodbye," she whispered, then she walked away without looking back.

_TBC_


	10. Good News, Bad News, and Strawberry Pie

_**A/N: **__Moving is a pain, no? Not only is it expensive and exhausting, it also cuts into my writing time. *sigh* But I'm back, and I'm not going to be moving again for a very, very long time, so this should be it for the interruptions. _

_I also had a bit of writer's block on this particular chapter, but my brilliant Beta, __**Jewels12**__ talked me through it and in the end I had a massive breakthrough and Chapter 11 is now almost finished as well. The story should actually be completed by the end of the week, so it should be posted within the next two weeks (I have to give my beta some time to look at the final two chapters, otherwise, that would be cruel). Hard to believe that __**Love Marriage and Moving Vans**__ will soon be coming to a close. Not to fear though, there will be another story in this series, it just might be a while before it's fully ready to go. (I'm going to try and have it almost completely written before I start posting it). _

_**Jewels,**__ you rock and you're brilliant. And yes, one of these days you WILL find out what is up with Jeffrey..._

**Good News, Bad News and Strawberry Pie**

The hot late-August sun beamed down on the pond where Lorelai was sitting with her feet dangling in the cool water. Luke was beside her, his tackle box and fishing rod abandoned on the grass nearby. He'd attempted to fish, but had quickly stopped when Lorelai started to panic about him catching Gertrude, the bright orange fish she'd named when they first moved to their new home a few weeks before.

"It's so peaceful here," Lorelai remarked as she paddled her feet idly.

Luke smiled. "It is, isn't it?"

"Do you think the babies will like it?" She rubbed her ever-expanding stomach. She was well into her second trimester now, and they had another ultrasound scheduled for the next day. This time they would be able to really see the babies, and Lorelai was feeling both excited and nervous.

Luke edged closer to her, until his hip was resting against hers. He put his arm around her and pulled her into a sideways hug. "I think they'll love it. It's homey, and look at all the space they'll have to run around." He gestured to the bountiful property that surrounded them.

Lorelai rested her head against his shoulder. "It does feel like home," she agreed, surprised. "I thought it would take longer for that to happen."

"You've made it feel that way," Luke pointed out. "All the work that you've done in the past few weeks, organizing, decorating, adding those personal touches that represent all of us..." His voice dropped to a faint whisper. "Thank you again for the pictures on the mantle. That meant so much to me."

She turned her head and brushed her lips over his cheek bone. "You're welcome. It just seemed right. Your parents are an important part of who you are and they're our family. I want our kids to grow up knowing who they were."

Touched, Luke faced her, his lips mere inches from hers. "I want that too. I only wish..." He trailed off and Lorelai took his hand, squeezing it.

"I know." She closed the gap between them and kissed her husband tenderly, infusing each caress with love and understanding.

He deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping between her lips as he sought comfort and solace from the woman he loved more than any other in the universe.

"We have time before the town meeting," Lorelai whispered suggestively, when they parted a few minutes later.

Luke pulled them both to their feet. His eyes were blazing, and Lorelai felt her heart skip a beat as he took her hand and led her back to the house. She was continually amazed at how alive he made her feel, even after all this time.

It wasn't until he tugged open the front door that Luke spoke again. "Don't think that just because we're married I'm going to town meetings and stuff."

"But Luu-" He cut off her protest by crushing his mouth to hers while he propelled her up the spiral stairs. Lorelai allowed herself to sink into the kiss. She'd have plenty of time to convince him later; right now, she had far more urgent matters to attend to.

xxxxx

Rory was putting the finishing touches on her latest article, when Stuart came out of his office and asked to speak with her. Surprised, Rory hit 'save' and stood up to follow him. She cast a questioning look at Jeffrey and he shrugged.

The two of them had been getting along a lot better after working on their joint article about multiple pregnancies. They'd since written six more articles together, and Rory was beginning to feel like they were almost becoming friends. Despite the new ease between them, every once in a while, Jeffrey would get all huffy and sullen for no apparently reason. Rory had noticed that these spurts seemed to coincide with the days when Jeffrey would wear the same clothes more than one day in a row. Rory's reporter instinct told her there was a connection, but her desire to stay on his good side kept her from prying. Today was one of his good days and he gave her an encouraging smile as she hurried after Stuart.

Rory sat nervously in the chair that Stuart had gestured to. She'd been working for the paper for over two months now, and this was the first time he'd called her into his office.

Stuart shuffled some papers on his desk, then cleared his throat. "You're probably wondering why I've asked to speak with you."

Rory nodded and waited politely for him to go on.

Stuart smiled. "First, I want to tell you that I've been very impressed with your work during your tenure here. Your articles are thoroughly researched, cleverly written and full of heart. You have a gift for drawing the reader in, even when the topic is generally considered dull."

Rory's throat was suddenly dry. She felt a little overwhelmed and awed by his words. After her experience with Mitchum Huntzberger, it was hard for her to believe that someone was praising her work so strongly. Months later, she still found herself fighting self doubt about her skills as a journalist. Rory swallowed hard and managed to say, "Thank you."

Stuart continued, "I've been watching you, and I've been very pleased with the way you've been willing to collaborate with Jeffrey Wynam. You've certainly proven that you are a team player." Stuart sifted through the papers on his desk again, pulling something from the bottom of the pile and placing it on top. "But I didn't drag you in here just to give you accolades."

Stuart pushed the paper from the top of his pile toward her. "We have an opening starting in the fall. It's a part time position, mostly features and the hours would be flexible. You'd have to apply, of course. But I think you'd be an excellent candidate for the position."

Rory took the page with trembling hands. "Wow," she whispered. "I don't know what to say."

Stuart stood. "You don't need to say anything, Ms. Gilmore, just apply." He paused. "You should know, though, that I will be giving Mr. Wynam the same opportunity."

"Okay. Thank you." Rory stood, feeling numb. She shook his hand and left his office, returning to her desk in a bit of a daze.

xxxxx

In the end, Lorelai had managed to lure Luke to the town meeting with her tales of Taylor's bizarre behaviour.

Taylor had been avoiding her for weeks, always turning the other way or hiding when she came near. No one seemed to know why he was acting so strangely, and whenever she tried to question him, he gave her a lame response and fled.

Luke thought back, and realized that Taylor had been acting oddly around him, too. He hadn't been in the diner in weeks and he'd stopped waving at him through the accursed window between their shops. His curiosity had won out over his aversion to town meetings, and Luke agreed to attend.

Much to Lorelai's glee, they arrived late, and Taylor frowned at them as they made their way to some empty seats near the middle of the room. Taylor had ceased speaking while they moved, and Lorelai deliberately took her time settling into the chair next to Gypsy. Luke slumped into the chair next to her, which just happened to be neighbouring Kirk's.

"Are you quite done?" Taylor asked, glaring at them.

"All good, thank you for asking." Lorelai smiled. "Carry on then."

"Thank you. Now, as I was saying..."

As Taylor blathered on, Gypsy leaned in conspiratorially. "You didn't miss anything. Just Taylor spouting on and on about section, subsection something of some town ordinance. Waste of time, if you ask me."

"What do you wanna bet Taylor recites city code to himself?" Lorelai glanced around at all the glassy-eyed faces that surrounded them. "He's the only one who seems to enjoy this."

Gypsy nodded. "Yeah, Taylor just likes to hear the sound of his own voice. Can't imagine why."

Lorelai was about to treat Gypsy to a clever retort, when Luke elbowed her in the ribs.

"What?" she hissed.

Luke gestured to Taylor with his head. "He's talking about us."

"He is?" Lorelai's ears perked up and she shifted her body so that she was facing Taylor better.

Taylor was droning on, and on, "... property is actually not in Stars Hollow, and therefore, from this day hence, the diner owner and the inn owner of our fair town, are no longer residents of Stars Hollow, and may no longer attend town meetings, or have a say in town events."

"Wait, what?" Lorelai frowned.

"You mean Lorelai and Luke don't live in Stars Hollow anymore?" Babette looked at them with teary eyes. "You didn't tell me you were moving out of town."

"We didn't move out of town." Luke rose to his feet, his fists balled at his sides. "Taylor, this is ridiculous!"

Taylor was unphased. "Actually, this is _law_. The border between Stars Hollow and Morris runs just east of your property. Actually, it's quite interesting because it was once in Stars Hollow, but the previous owners had requested that it be transferred, and the request was processed the week before you moved in."

"So move it back," Lorelai shouted.

"Oh, I'm afraid it's not that simple. There's quite a lot of paperwork and red tape to go through to get it done, and I could do it, but I have an awful lot on my plate right now an--"

"Taylor," Luke growled, causing the man in question to startle.

Luke was having a hard time controlling his breathing. Lorelai was pretty certain that if there hadn't been people in the way, he would have charged at Taylor.

"This is baloney," Gypsy yelled. "If you have time to wander around town measuring flower stems, you have time to fill in some stupid forms."

Lorelai smiled at her gratefully and placed her hand on Luke's arm to calm him. He relaxed slightly under her touch, though his jaw was still rife with tension. When she spoke, her voice was surprisingly serene. "Taylor, you know that Luke and I are both active members of this community. We love this town and its people. Please can you just fix this?"

Taylor eyed Luke uneasily. "Well, I suppose, since you asked so politely. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," Lorelai said, pulling Luke back down to his chair.

The gavel banged, and Taylor declared the matter resolved. Several members of the town cheered to show their support. Kirk hooted and jumped up. In his excitement, he somehow manged to catch his foot on the bottom of his seat, sending himself and the chair crashing to the ground.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." He thrust his arms in the air to prove it.

"Sit down, Kirk," Luke hissed.

Kirk's eyes widened in fear and he promptly sat, leaving Taylor free to move on to the next item on his agenda.

xxxxx

Rory was relieved to find the house empty when she arrived home that evening. She grabbed some leftover Chinese take away from the fridge, and trudged up the two flights of stairs to her attic bedroom.

She loved everything about her new room. Her bed sat in the centre, and throughout the space were several comfy chairs, perfect for reading.

Rory plunked herself down on the nearest chair and absently ate chow mein as her mind whirred with the day's events.

She'd returned to her desk in a fog that afternoon. She had been a mess of conflicted emotions as she mentally processed the conversation with Stuart. On the one hand, she was humbled and awed by his praise, and extremely excited about the longer term employment opportunity he'd presented to her. On the other hand, she was worried about the impact the situation would have on her blossoming friendship with Jeffrey. They'd been getting along so well and she was really coming to value his friendship. He wasn't afraid to question her about the direction she was taking in her articles, and he always gave her an honest opinion.

Jeffrey had been called into Stuart's office after lunch. When he returned, he didn't look at Rory, and she knew that he must be feeling the same awkwardness that she felt about the situation. The rest of the afternoon had passed in tense silence, and Rory had been relieved when it was finally time to go home.

Now, as she sat in her room, she felt calm for the first time since setting foot in Stuart's office. She realized that she was being silly. After this summer, it wasn't likely that she'd see Jeffrey anymore, anyway. She'd be returning to Yale, and once their internships at the Stamford Eagle Gazette ended, they weren't likely to see each other. So really, there was no reason for her to be feeling guilty about applying for the same job. They each had an equal chance at it, and regardless of how it turned out, they would both be going their separate ways in a few weeks.

Feeling infinitely better, Rory pulled the application out of her bag and poured over it, making a mental note of all the things she'd need to gather before the deadline. Satisfied, she put it away and wandered downstairs, hoping her mom and Luke would return soon so she could fill them in on her day.

xxxxx

"I can't believe he waited for a town meeting to tell us that we don't technically live in Stars Hollow anymore," Luke ranted as they walked to the diner for pie after the meeting.

"I know," Lorelai agreed. "He could have told us weeks ago and we'd have this all sorted out by now."

Luke shot an unfriendly glare toward the soda shop. "He did it on purpose. This is his way of getting back at me for not letting him install an animatronic window display."

Lorelai stopped. "He wanted to install what?"

"An animatronic window display, you know, with moving characters that sing." Luke shuddered.

"Okay, that's creepy, even for Taylor." Lorelai walked through the diner door that Luke held open for her.

"Precisely why I said 'no'." Luke's voice was low and Lorelai was suddenly aware of how close he was standing.

Her heart rate quickened. She swallowed hard as the scent of him overwhelmed her senses. "Maybe we should just go home," she suggested, more huskily than she'd intended.

Heat flashed in Luke's eyes. "No pie?" He inched his mouth closer to hers.

Their lips touched before Lorelai could answer, and she melted into him, her whole being focused on his kiss and the sensations coursing through her body because of it. His tongue slid over hers, and she savoured the sweet taste of him. She started to press her body against him, but startled and broke the kiss when she felt a sensation in her abdomen. Luke frowned at her, clearly puzzled by the abrupt change in their interaction.

Lorelai took Luke's hand and held it to her belly. "Can you feel that?"

Luke shook his head, irritated. "What am I supposed to be feeling?"

"The babies, they're moving." She shifted his hand to another section of her belly.

Instantly, Luke softened and gazed at his hand. "I can't feel anything," he told her, unsuccessfully trying to hide his disappointment.

"I guess it's too soon," Lorelai mused, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

Luke squeezed back. "Come on, let's go home."

They were almost at the door when Lorelai's stomach rumbled. She laughed. "Maybe we can take some pie with us?" she asked, innocently batting her eyelashes at him.

Luke sighed. "Fine." He strode to the counter, scooped two large pieces of strawberry pie into a container , and returned to her side.

"Yay." Lorelai grinned and clapped her hands. "You're the best husband I've ever had, you know that?"

"I'm the only husband you've ever had," Luke retorted, as he locked the diner.

"Meh. Details, shmetails. You're still the best."

_TBC_


	11. We're All in This Together

**A/N: **You all owe **Jewels12** a huge thank you for this being posted so quickly. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, she's amazing.

Only one chapter remains after this one. It's almost written so it should be posted soonish. Thank you all for reading. Even though I'm behind on responding to reviews I do read and appreciate each and every one. Thank you.

**We're All in This Together**

Summer turned to autumn in a flurry of brightly coloured leaves that dotted the lawn of the town square and caused Taylor to curse mother nature.

By the end of September, Luke and Lorelai had settled into a solid routine at the new house. Rory had departed for Yale in the last week of August and it was just the two of them. Much of Luke's spare time was occupied in finishing the preparations in the babies' room. He had already painted the room, with Rory's help, before she'd left for school. The formerly beige walls had been spruced with two colours. The bottom was painted an earthy green, and the top, a pale yellow. Since then, Luke had added white chair rails at the point where the two colours met, creating a clean, yet old-fashioned effect.

In addition to the paint, Luke had assembled two cribs, and he'd built a large, custom change table and dresser, which he painted white to match the cribs. Two white book cases, which he had also built himself, sat along the wall with the change table. The final touch was an antique rocking chair that he'd bought from Mrs Kim without Lorelai knowing.

On the first Monday in October, Luke surprised Lorelai with the completed Nursery. She hadn't been inside since the painting had begun, and her eyes welled with grateful tears as she surveyed the room that her husband had so lovingly put together for her and their children.

"Oh, Luke, it's beautiful," she told him, wiping at the tears.

Luke wrapped his arms around her from the back, and she leaned into his chest as she continued to take in her surroundings. "I didn't unpack any of the things from the baby shower that Sookie and Rory threw you last week. I thought you'd want to do that yourself."

He felt, rather than saw, Lorelai nod her head. "Thank you, Luke. Our babies will love it." She took his hand and pressed it to her stomach, much like she had done several weeks earlier. This time, Luke felt a baby move against his hand, and he smiled into Lorelai's hair. He kissed the top of her head softly as they stood entwined, revelling in the miracle of the lives they'd created.

xxxxx

At the first town meeting in October, Taylor announced that they would be hosting a county wide pumpkin festival. All of the neighbouring towns would be taking part and Taylor was anticipating thousands of visitors. Everyone had been assigned a role, and by mid-month, the town of Stars Hollow was buzzing with activity. Even Luke had been roped into participating, as a judge for the pumpkin carving contest.

"I don't see why I have to do this," he grumbled to Lorelai one day when she was sitting at the counter in the diner. "You know I hate these town things."

"Yes, I know, but the only other person available is Kirk, and you know how Kirk is when he has to make up his mind about something." To prove her point, she gesticulated to the table in the corner where Kirk was staring at a menu and muttering to himself as he debated whether to order grilled cheese with white bread, or grilled cheese with brown.

Luke shook his head in disbelief. "So I'm paying for the fact that Kirk can't make a decision to save his life?"

"'Fraid so," Lorelai said apologetically.

"Why can't you do it instead? People like you better," Luke suggested.

"Can't. Patty needs me to help her make thirty-five pumpkin outfits of various sizes by next Friday's dress rehearsal for 'Dance of the Midnight Pumpkins.'"

Instantly, Luke's expression changed from one of indignation, to one of worry. "Thirty-five? That's a lot of sewing. Are you sure you can handle that? You've been so tired lately."

Irritated, Lorelai brushed off his concern. "It's fine, Luke. I'll be sitting most of the time. You worry too much."

He leaned across the counter to cup her chin. "I just don't want you to push yourself too hard, that's all."

She softened. "I know. I'll be careful; I promise."

He kissed her gently. "That's all I'm asking."

xxxxx

Lorelai sat at the sewing machine, fighting with the stubborn orange fabric, while she tried to ignore the aching in her back. She'd been elbow-deep in pumpkin suits for almost a week, and with only five left to sew, she just wanted to get through to the end.

She wrestled the next pumpkin through the machine, and it was nearly complete when the first sharp stab of pain hit her. She tried to ignore it, but a second stab of pain at the base of her spine caused her to cry out in agony and she was forced to stop sewing. A wave of panic swelled over her, as she began to worry that something was wrong with her babies.

The third stab brought on tears and Lorelai's concern grew. She held her abdomen protectively as she tried to overcome the pain long enough to walk to the phone. She dialed the diner, as panic threatened to overwhelm her. She breathed deeply, trying to stay calm, knowing that stress could hurt the babies even more.

Caesar answered the phone and again, Lorelai had to fight panic. "Caesar, I need to talk to Luke."

"Luke's not here," Caesar said casually.

_How can he be so calm when something is wrong with my babies?_ she wondered, but when she spoke, her voice was surprisingly composed. "Where is he?"

"He had to make a delivery to Woodbridge. He should be back in two hours," Caesar told her.

_Two hours? I don't have two hours. _Lorelai managed to thank him and hang up the phone, as anxious tears rolled down her face. She wracked her brain for other people to call. She tried Sookie next, but there was no answer. Panic was beginning to take root in her lungs as she contemplated her options. Rory would be in class, so she couldn't call her. Realizing she had no other choice, Lorelai picked up the phone with shaking hands and dialed her parents' number.

"Gilmore residence," her father said.

"Hi, Dad. Is Mom there?" she asked in a voice that didn't sound like her own.

"Lorelai? Is that you? Your mother is at her weekly hair appointment. She just left, in fact."

In response, Lorelai cried out involuntarily as she was plagued by another stab of pain.

"Lorelai? Are you all right?" Richard's tone was filled with concern.

Lorelai slid to the floor, no longer able to stand. "Daddy? Something's wrong. Something's wrong with my babies, agh." She clutched her side, sobbing openly now. "I can't reach... ugh... Luke, or Sookie. Ahhhh... I think I need to… go to the hospital. Daddy, I need you," she finished in a whisper.

Richard immediately sprang into action. "Lorelai, I'm calling you an ambulance. I'll meet you at the hospital. Everything is going to be okay."

"Thank you." She paused, taking a deep breath. "And Daddy? Hurry."

xxxxx

Richard hung up the phone, his chest as cold as ice. She needed him. For the first time in years, his baby needed him, and he was frozen, terrified for her and his unborn grandchildren.

He managed to keep going, despite his terror, calling 911 on his cell phone as he ran to the car. Once he was certain that they were on their way, and he'd confirmed which hospital they'd take her to, he called his wife at the salon to tell her what was going on. Then he drove, much faster than he was supposed to, praying that Lorelai would be okay.

After arriving at the hospital and checking in with reception, Richard was ushered to Lorelai's side.

She looked so pale and helpless as she lay on the gurney, that Richard felt his heart breaking. He grasped her hand tightly as the doctors examined her and hooked her up to all kinds of machines. "Lorelai, I'm here," he whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Daddy?" she murmured, closing them again as a contented smile pursed her lips.

Richard watched in wonder as a nurse exposed Lorelai's belly and applied the ultrasound wand to it. Suddenly, he heard a gentle whooshing sound as the babies' heartbeats filled the air. A fuzzy image appeared on the screen and Richard could see both of his grandchildren.

Lorelai's eyes opened and she glanced anxiously at the screen. "Are they okay? Are my babies okay?" she asked, frantic.

"They both have a steady heartbeat, so that's good. One of them seems to be beating a little irregularly , though. Do you hear that? There's an extra beat in between. We'll monitor that to see what's causing it, but the vitals for both babies are stable."

Lorelai relaxed at the news and turned to her father. "Thank you for coming, Dad."

"You're welcome," Richard said. "I called the diner again. I asked Caesar to send Luke to the hospital once he gets back."

Lorelai smiled again. "Thank you, Dad. I really appreciate you being here for me." A tear trickled down her cheek. "I couldn't handle this alone."

Richard gripped her hand more firmly and smoothed her hair tenderly with his other hand. "You are not alone."

xxxxx

Luke arrived a short time later, with Rory right behind him. Lorelai had been moved to a private room and the first thing Luke noticed was how small she looked as she slept, hooked up to all the machines.

He flew to her side, gently hugging her and planting a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Lorelai," he breathed, his voice cracking from the strain of his concern.

When Caesar had told him that Lorelai was in the hospital, Luke had felt as though his heart had stopped. He felt so guilty that he hadn't been there for her when she'd called, that she'd had to face this alone.

He noticed Richard then, sitting on the other side of Lorelai's bed, hand clasped in hers as he watched over her with bloodshot eyes. The realization that she hadn't been by herself made Luke feel a bit better.

"Luke?" Lorelai called, her voice hoarse.

"I'm here," he assured her, squeezing her hand as she turned to face him. "Rory's here too."

Lorelai smiled wanly, though it appeared to be taking a lot of effort.

"Shhhh, you rest. We'll be here when you wake up." Luke kissed her temple and settled himself into the chair beside her as she drifted back to sleep. He vowed in that instant, that he would never leave her side again if he could help it.

xxxxx

Rory sat at the foot of the bed and watched her mother sleep. She wasn't used to seeing her look so helpless and frail. She glanced at the monitor that showed the babies' heartbeats. She was glad that her future siblings were okay, but she was even more grateful that her mother was all right. She'd been terrified when she received the voicemail from her grandmother telling her that Lorelai was in the hospital. It was way too early for the twins to be born and she knew it must be bad if her mother had called her parents' house for help.

A wave of guilt rushed over Rory as she contemplated the reasons why her mother hadn't called her when the trouble began. Apart from the baby shower, they hadn't seen much of each other since Rory had left for school. A week after returning to Yale, she'd received a phone call informing her that, unfortunately, she had not been accepted for the position at the Stamford Eagle Gazette. The news, combined with the knowledge that Jeffrey must have been offered the position instead, had sent her spiralling into a bit of a funk. After that, she'd unintentionally withdrawn from her friends and family as she nursed her bruised ego. Now she was regretting all the times she could have called her mother, but didn't, and could have visited home, but chose not to.

Rory glanced up as the door opened and her grandmother walked in, looking stressed and gaunt. Worry was etched in the creases around her eyes and mouth, and if Rory had ever doubted that Emily Gilmore loved her daughter, those doubts were now thoroughly erased.

"Emily," Richard greeted her. "She's okay."

Emily glanced anxiously at her daughter's sleeping form. "And the babies?"

"Also fine," Luke answered. "They're keeping her overnight for observation, but the doctor sounded confident that she'd be able to go home tomorrow."

"What exactly happened?" Emily asked.

"We're not sure," Rory told her. "It seems she had some sudden pains, like fake labour or something, but the doctor isn't saying much else. He said he wanted to wait until she's awake and give us the news all at once."

"Well, that's ludicrous. We're her family. We have the right to know what's going on." Emily marched toward the door. "I'll sort this out."

xxxxx

The next morning, Lorelai was wide awake and feeling much better. She glanced around the room and smiled as she saw her loved ones surrounding her. Her mother and father were asleep in a large lounge chair, holding each other for comfort. Rory was sprawled across her legs, curled into a tiny ball, sleeping the way she used to when she was really little.

Only Luke was awake. He smiled at her. "Good morning, sleepy head."

"Luke! I didn't dream it, you really are here."

"Of course I'm here."

"It's just, I couldn't find you yesterday when I needed you, and I was so scared, so much pain..." she trailed off, tears dotting her eyes again.

"I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere." He hugged her fiercely. He didn't hug her nearly enough. –

The door opened and the doctor appeared. He beamed at her. "You're looking much better this morning, Mrs. Danes."

"Thank you." Lorelai offered him a strained smile. "What about the babies? Someone said they are okay, but what happened?"

The doctor glanced anxiously at Rory and the Gilmores who had all awakened. "Perhaps we should discuss this in a more private setting?"

Lorelai shook her head adamantly. "No. They're family, they can stay. Please, just tell me what is going on."

The doctor nodded and settled into one of the chairs by the bed, his clipboard sprawled on his lap. He took a deep breath. "It appears that you have a mild case of a condition referred to as 'Twin-to-twin Transfer Syndrome'."

Before he could continue, Rory gasped, her hand over her mouth in horror. "No," she whispered.

Lorelai frowned at her. "What? Is it bad?" Her panic was rising again. "What's wrong with my babies?"

The doctor glared at Rory and placed his hand on Lorelai's arm to calm her. "Nothing is wrong with your babies. Like I said, this is a _mild_ case."

"But what is 'Twin-to-twin Transfer Syndrome'?" Luke asked, squeezing Lorelai's hand, more to comfort himself than anything else.

"'Twin-to-Twin Transfer Syndrome, or TTTS as it's commonly referred to, occurs when identical twins share a placenta. Often when that happens, one baby will get more of the nutrients than the other, so one baby is often bigger than the other. In severe cases, it _can _be life threatening, but in your case, it's only beginning to develop. So, as long as we monitor the babies closely for the remainder of your pregnancy, and keep you stress free, I don't anticipate it being a problem. That does mean, of course, that you will be on strict bed rest until the babies are born."

The room was silent as everyone processed the news. Rory was the first to speak. "Mom? I'm sorry I scared you. It's just that I researched TTTS for my story on multiple pregnancies earlier this summer, and the case I profiled was pretty devastating. I read that the later in the pregnancy it appears, the less damage it is likely to cause. Is that true?" she directed the final question at the doctor.

"Yes. It's true. And Lorelai, you're already in your third trimester. The babies have grown well up until now, and all of our tests yesterday show that they are both healthy. The imbalance hasn't caused any major problems, though it is what caused your pain yesterday. Abdominal pain and premature contractions are common in TTTS cases."

"Will I be able to go home?" Lorelai asked.

The doctor nodded. "I think so. As soon as we check everyone's vitals again, just to be sure. But I meant what I said about the bed rest. You're not to do anything that could cause you or the babies stress."

"Don't worry, Doctor," Luke assured him. "I'll make sure she and the babies are well taken care of."

He smiled at Luke. "I know you will." He stood up. "I'll be back in about an hour to do a final check and then we should be able to discharge you."

The door closed behind him and the five of them sat still, stunned.

"We'll hire you a nurse," Emily announced. Lorelai started to protest, but she continued. "Don't argue, this is a potentially serious condition and I don't want anything to happen to you or my grandchildren. I think we'd all feel better about this if we knew that you had steady medical attention."

Richard took her hand. "I agree. Luke has the diner to run and Rory's at school. It's a good idea to have someone there at all times."

Lorelai was touched by her parents' concern. And truthfully, if her children's health was at risk, she didn't want to take any chances. "Okay."

Four sets of eyes stared at her. No one had expected her to agree so quickly.

After a moment, Emily recovered. "Thank you. I'll make the arrangements right away." She approached Lorelai's bed and made an awkward motion as though wanting to give her a hug, but deciding against it at the last moment. Finally, she just patted Lorelai's hand and left the room. Richard bent down and quickly pecked her forehead before fleeing after his wife.

"I'm just going to go say goodbye." Rory gestured after her grandparents and soon she was gone too.

Luke lay on the bed beside Lorelai and wrapped her in his arms, burying his face on her shoulder as he tried to control the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He slid his hand over her stomach protectively as he heard her sniffling softly. He lifted his head, smoothed the hair off her face and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Shhh. We'll get through this. We're in this together. Everything will be all right." Then he hid his face in her hair and wept with her.

_TBC_


	12. We've Got Babies to Meet, Birthing to do

_**A/N**__: Wow, here we are, at the end of part two in this saga of mine. There WILL be another story coming, but honestly, I need a bit of a break before I start it so it may be a while. Bear with me though, because I think you'll love what's to come. _

_I also want to let you all know that I will be offering myself up once again for the Support Stacie Auction, September 11-14__th__. This time I'm offering two fics: One for Gilmore Girls and one for Doctor Who. You can find more information on my author profile page or on my livejournal (lorelaisquared(dot)livejournal(dot)com). _

_Some very important thank yous this time. First, to rumpelsnorkack, my writing partner extraordinaire. We may not write for the same fandom but your support and advice has been invaluable. It's because of you that the details are right in this particular chapter and I am so, so grateful to you for your willingness to help me make this so accurate. __**Hugs**__ You're awesome! _

_Second, to Jewels12. I am grateful everyday for the day almost a year ago when I emailed you and you agreed to be my beta. It's partly because of your enthusiasm and encouragement that I'm still writing today. And so, I dedicate this chapter to you, my friend; the tribute to you hidden within this chapter is much deserved. __**Hugs**__ enjoy your beta 'vacation'. _

_Thank you to everyone who's been reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I really love it and I hope you will too. _

**We've Got Babies to Meet, and Birthing to Do!**

Lorelai was bored. After nearly a month of bed rest, she was more than fed up with sitting still. Luke had brought the TV upstairs for her, but even that didn't entertain her anymore. She'd watched all her favourite movies so many times she was tired of them. Her back was aching, the babies were squirming and she was uncomfortable. The only time she ever got to leave the house was to go to her doctor's appointments, where they hooked her up to a million machines to monitor her and the babies every few days.

So far, the twins were still doing all right. One of them wasn't gaining as much weight as it should have been and the doctor was mildly concerned, but because the baby hadn't stopped growing completely, he had assured them that he didn't think it was cause for alarm.

Lorelai shifted on the bed, and Madeline, the nurse her mother had hired, looked up from her book. "Are you okay, Mrs. Danes?"

Lorelai grimaced as one of the babies pressed against her bladder. "I'm fine, just feeling stiff, and achy."

Madeline hurried to the bed and helped Lorelai adjust her position. She placed a pillow between Lorelai's lower back and the bed and Lorelai felt some relief, though she wasn't sure how much more she could take of this.

It was the last week of November and she was now 34 weeks along. After much deliberation on the best course of action, given the circumstances, the doctor had decided to induce her at 36 weeks. He wanted the babies to get as big as possible before they were born, but he didn't want to wait too long because he was worried that the 'Twin-to-Twin Transfer Syndrome' would make the babies quite sick if the imbalance persisted beyond the 36th week. Induction day was only two weeks away, and Lorelai couldn't wait.

It wasn't just the discomfort of bed rest that had her anxious to deliver. She had carried them for almost eight months now and she was eager to meet her children and hold their little bodies in her arms.

Just as Madeline returned to her seat, Lorelai cringed. The aching in her back had intensified, and this time it was accompanied by a sharper pain, near her groin. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. When the pain subsided, she relaxed against her pillows, her head reeling. She'd had some false contractions in the past few weeks, but this felt different. More like what she remembered from Rory's labour, only more intense. She tried to stay calm, even as panic tried to overwhelm her. If she was in the beginning stages of labour, it was early, and her babies could be in danger. She'd been warned that premature delivery was common with twins, but thirty four weeks still seemed too soon. As much as she wanted to meet her children, she wanted more for them to be healthy and strong.

She figured she had time before things got really interesting, so she casually reached for the phone and dialled the diner. If this was the real thing, she wasn't taking any chances. There was no way she was doing this alone again. No, this time, she would give birth with Luke by her side.

The second contraction hit, just as Luke answered the phone and she ended up greeting him with a loud, "Aaaguh."

"Lorelai?" Luke asked, alarmed.

Madeline had finally realized that something was happening, and was busy taking vitals by the time Lorelai regained coherent speech.

"Come home," she whispered, "I think the babies are coming."

She hung up before he could answer and lay sprawled against the pillows. She knew that the worst was yet to come and she had no illusions that it wouldn't hurt. She still remembered giving birth; it was the part of this whole process that she'd been dreading the most.

xxxxx

Luke stood immobile in the diner, with the phone in his hand for several seconds before coming back to his senses. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest as a mixture of worry and excitement coursed through his veins. _I think the babies are coming._ The words floated through the haze of his brain and registered, springing him into action.

Not caring who heard him, Luke yelled back to Caesar, "The babies are coming. I have to go. Can you hold down the fort?"

Everyone in the diner seemed to freeze at his words as all eyes turned to him. The room was so quite that a single fork falling to the floor would have sounded like an anvil.

Silently cursing himself for being so careless, Luke slowly turned to face his patrons. Of course he would make such a stupid public announcement when the whole damn town was in his diner.

Babette and Miss Patty's faces held identical expressions of glee, and they were the first to puncture the silence with their whoops of joy at scooping East Side Tilly once again.

Kirk was glaring at Luke from his perch at the counter.

"What's with you?" Luke grumbled.

"The twins can't be born today," Kirk cried, frantic. "I'll loose the baby pool. I was so certain they'd be born on Christmas Day."

"Sorry, Kirk – Wait, _what_ baby pool?" Luke gave him a menacing glare.

"Taylor's baby pool," Kirk squeaked, hopping off his chair and backing toward the door.

Luke started to respond, but an image of Lorelai in pain flashed through his mind, and he knew he had to get out of there, get to her. He didn't want her to face this alone. And frankly, he didn't want to miss it.

He crossed the diner in four quick strides, then turned to face his neighbours before he departed. "You're not to meddle, understood?" he said in a booming voice to the general population of the diner. "I'll make sure that you get news of the birth when it happens, but if anyone from this town follows us to the hospital, they'll have to answer to me."

With that, he marched out the door, slamming it behind him.

xxxxx

Lorelai and Madeline were preparing to head to the hospital by the time Luke arrived home.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're here," Lorelai told him, gripping his hand.

Luke smiled reassuringly. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"We need to go," Madeline said impatiently, glancing at her watch as another contraction hit and Lorelai had to lean on Luke for support.

Luke stooped down and gently placed his arm behind her knees. His other hand was at her back as he scooped Lorelai up and settled her against his chest.

"Luke, I'm too heavy," she protested. "You'll injure your back."

He brushed her off with a shake of his head. "It's fine. Let's just go."

He carried her to the Jeep and settled her in the passenger seat, planting a kiss on her forehead before racing around to the driver's seat. Madeline climbed into the back, her eyes still on her watch as she timed the distance between contractions.

Luke put the Jeep in gear and they were off.

xxxxx

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, they were rushed to the maternity ward where the doctor was waiting for them. Madeline left them in the doctor's capable hands and hurried off to call Emily as she'd been instructed.

He briefly explained that they were going to put her in an operating room just in case they faced complications with natural delivery.

"What kind of complications?" Lorelai asked, her voice shaking as he led them to the room.

Luke placed a firm hand on her shoulder and she grasped it, knowing that his touch would keep her grounded.

"Your last ultrasound showed that the first baby is facing head first and the second is foot first. In most cases, this is fine, but sometimes one baby will become stressed before it will come out. In that case, we'd have to do an emergency Cesarean. I don't think we'll need to, but I want to make sure we're prepared for every eventuality."

Lorelai began to respond, but the clenching and searing pain in her abdomen prevented her from doing anything more than screaming.

Alarmed, Luke addressed the doctor. "Each contraction seems to be hurting her more than the last. Is that normal?"

"Labour with multiples can be more intense than when having a single baby," the doctor explained, as his team helped Lorelai get settled in the bed between contractions. "The TTTS can aggravate the pain as well. I'll examine her in a moment here, and then we'll know more about exactly what's happening."

Luke let the doctor do his job, and took his own place at Lorelai's side. He held her hand and watched in bewilderment as, what seemed like dozens of doctors and nurses, bustled around his wife, checking her vitals, hooking her up to machines and inserting something in her arm.

When Luke asked what it was for, he was told that it was to prepare her in case she needed an IV. He shuddered slightly and prayed that wouldn't be necessary.

xxxxx

To Lorelai, everything had become a giant blur. The only thing she was fully aware of, was Luke's hand in hers as she screamed her way through one contraction after another. She vaguely heard the doctor telling her to push and she did, every muscle in her body aching as she bared down, over and over again.

After what seemed to her like hours of excruciating pain, she noticed a change in the energy in the room. Luke was squeezing her fingers so hard that her hand was going numb. She turned to him and her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the ghostly whiteness of his face.

"Luke? What is it?"

He looked at her, his eyes filled with worry. "The first baby is stuck, the doctor says they're going to have to do an emergency C-section."

Bewildered, and more than a little out of it, Lorelai said, "But I was pushing, I was pushing so hard."

Luke smoothed her hair and tenderly cupped her cheek. "I know, Lorelai, I know. You did good. You did really good. Our babies are stubborn, that's all."

"But they're still okay?" She turned to the doctor, her tired eyes boring into his.

"They're fine," he said soothingly. "My team is going to take good care of all of you, I promise." She suddenly realized that about a million new people had appeared in the room, all rushing around with purpose.

Everything seemed to start happening at once. Someone came over and thrust a clipboard in her face, informing her that she needed to authorize the Cesarean before they could proceed. Lorelai took the pen with a trembling hand and signed her name in the place indicated.

Someone else had started to shave her pelvic area, and when Luke noticed what was happening, he winced and looked away saying, "Awww, jeez," which made Lorelai giggle.

A woman came over and explained that she was the anaesthesiologist and that she would be giving Lorelai a spinal block to help with the pain. "It shouldn't hurt," she added. "We'll give you a local anaesthetic first, so there'll be a small prick on your lower back and then you won't feel a thing. I'll need you to hold very still at that point until we tell you it's done. Some women complain about itchiness from the spinal block, but we'll give you something for that in your IV."

She helped Lorelai sit up and asked her to open her legs and let them dangle off the bed so she would have room to curl forward, into a ball. Luke assisted her in positioning herself. It was tricky, because her stomach was so large, but his hand on her shoulders helped her to maintain the pose. The angle was extremely uncomfortable and she was finding it difficult to remain still, especially through her continued contractions.

Lorelai turned her head and fixed her eyes on Luke's, as she felt the first needle go into her spine and numbness instantly pooled over her whole lower body. A tugging sensation at the base of her spine was the only indication she had that the spinal had been inserted. Luke helped ease her onto her back and, since she couldn't move her legs, gently lifted them onto the bed. She didn't feel any itching, although, her nose was feeling kind of tingly.

The anaesthesiologist tested the numbness with ice and began to pinch the skin on her legs and abdomen, but all Lorelai could feel was the itchiness in her nose, which had now spread to her face. She tried to scratch, but discovered that her arms were now immobile. One was hooked up to an IV drip and the other had a blood pressure cuff attached.

"Luke," she whined, "can you scratch my nose?"

"What?" He looked away from her abdomen, where the doctors and nurses had quickly erected a screen so he couldn't see what was going on.

"My nose, it's itchy." She wriggled it at him.

He laughed and obliged. He was happy to see that she seemed less out of it now that she couldn't feel the contractions anymore. The itchiness, however, was beginning to travel to her neck and shoulders and it was driving her crazy.

Without warning, an angry cry permeated the room, and both Lorelai and Luke looked down in surprise. The doctor held up an infant and they could just see a tiny head above the curtain.

"You have a daughter," the doctor told them as he handed the baby off to a nurse and returned his attention to Lorelai.

Lorelai watched anxiously as a whole army of people in gowns took her precious baby off to the corner, where a bunch of medical equipment was set up. There were so many of them that they blocked her view. The only sign that her daughter was all right, were the wails that continued to emit from her tiny body.

"Oh!" the doctor exclaimed, causing Luke and Lorelai to stare at him again.

"What?" Luke asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Well, it appears we have an explanation for the strange heartbeat we've been hearing," he laughed nervously. "It wasn't an irregular heartbeat, it was a _third_ heartbeat."

Lorelai gaped at him. "What do you mean, 'a third heartbeat'?"

"I mean, there's a third baby." He looked down as he spoke, presumably to watch what he was doing.

"A third...?" Luke trailed off, his jaw dropping.

Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. "How the hell did you miss a whole baby? I've had like a gazillion ultra sounds."

A flurry of motion on the other side of the room caught her attention, distracting her from hearing the doctor's answer. Lorelai craned her neck to see what was happening. The sheer number of people surrounding a table identical to the one their daughter was on, indicated that the second baby had been born, but she couldn't hear any crying. She clutched at Luke's hand, as fear gripped her whole being. She wanted to ask if the infant was okay, but she was afraid of the answer. Someone moved and she caught a glimpse of a minuscule foot wiggling in the air. The baby shifted positions and she was greeted with the evidence that their second child was a boy. A moment later, she heard a faint cry and she released the breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. Beside her, Luke relaxed as well, sighing in relief.

It took her several seconds to realize that the cry had come from behind the curtain and not from her squirming son. The full reality of the situation hit her as it dawned on her that she was the mother of triplets, not twins.

The door burst open and several more people rushed into the room, sweeping her baby out of the doctor's arms.

"Another girl," Luke whispered, awed, as they watched their youngest daughter being whisked away by the doctors and nurses.

Lorelai again became aware of the itchiness spreading over her torso as she shuffled her gaze between the three teams tending to her children. It was the aching in her arms that bothered her, though. She yearned to reach out to her daughters and her son, to hold them in her arms and shower them with the love that was bursting within her.

Luke seemed to know what she was thinking and he leaned down, placing a tender, reassuring kiss on her lips. "Soon," he murmured, smiling. "Soon."

xxxxx

"They're so tiny," Lorelai marvelled as she and Luke gazed at the three incubators that held their children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Hartford Hospital.

Luke smiled. "They're beautiful."

Lorelai was in a wheelchair because of the Cesarean. The numbness of the spinal had worn off, but she was trying to ignore the discomfort she felt in favour of seeing her babies properly. The nurses had been extremely helpful, assisting them in washing and gowning up before they entered the unit and explaining what each of the tubes and monitors were for.

Lorelai slid her hand through the opening of the first incubator and placed it on her eldest daughter, Julie's back, pressing firmly and gently as the nurse had instructed. They had named her Julie Anne Danes, after Julie Andrews, and Lorelai was still a little surprised that Luke had consented.

"Julie is a beautiful name," he had told her. "Besides, she's already demonstrated that she has a healthy set of lungs, I think it suits her."

"It does, doesn't it?" As Lorelai gazed at her now, she realised just how truthful that statement was. At 4lbs, 12ozs, Julie was the largest of the triplets, and the only one with a full head of dark, curly hair.

Luke stood next to their son, Oliver, and carefully placed his finger against the tiny hand. Oliver Benjamin Danes weighed 4lbs exactly, just the right size to remain hidden behind his sister in the womb. He had been the hardest to name, and it had actually been Rory who suggested it. The instant she said it, they'd both fallen in love with the name and it had only taken seconds for Lorelai to shorten it to "Ollie".

The cry sounding from the third incubator caused both Luke and Lorelai to look her way. Luke helped Lorelai manoeuvre her chair to their youngest daughter's side. They'd decided to call her Ella, a shortened form of Elizabeth, after Luke's sister. Lorelai liked to think that she was also named after Eliza Doolittle, a fictional woman who had conquered insurmountable odds. At 3lbs, 4ozs, Ella Catherine Danes was the smallest, and sickest, of the three. Lorelai reached out to her now, and when she touched her little hand, Ella instantly stopped crying. She was their miracle baby, the one who'd surprised them all with her resilience. And Lorelai had never been more grateful for anything in her life.

They left the room a few minutes later, and Lorelai blew kisses to each of her children. "Welcome to the world, Julie, Ella and Ollie," she whispered. "Mommy and Daddy will be back soon."

_Fin_


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